No More Monkey Business: CDC Officially Ends Primate Research Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is officially saying goodbye to its furry test subjects. In a move that marks a major shift in how the government studies infectious diseases, the agency announced Saturday that it is ending its primate research program, effective immediately.

The directive, reportedly at the behest of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. As part of the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, impacts roughly 200 rhesus macaques previously used for studies on diseases like hepatitis.

The CDC plans on replacing the primates with high-tech alternatives, aiming to invest more in “organ-on-a-chip” technology and advanced cellular models. The goal is to replace animal subjects with digital and synthetic human-like systems that are more cost-effective.

A CDC spokesperson said that the agency is committed to the “highest standards of ethical and humane care” and is aligning with new administration priorities to use non-animal methods “whenever feasible.”

While animal rights advocates are cheering the end to monkeying around, the scientific community has a mixed take.

Dr. JoAnne Flynn, a microbiology chair at the University of Pittsburgh, expressed concern that halting research mid-stream could mean valuable data is lost. “In infectious disease, things really need to be tested in a system that’s very similar to humans,” she told Scientific American.

However, other experts point out that the CDC’s program was relatively small compared to the massive primate research conducted at universities and NIH-funded centers across the U.S., meaning the broader field of research won’t grind to a complete halt.

While the research is ending by the end of the year, it remains unclear where the animals will go next; whether they will be transferred to other facilities or retired to sanctuaries.