Research Involving Non-Human Primates: Four Policy Scenarios for the Netherlands

In November 2022, the House of Representatives asked the government to investigate ways of reducing the number of experiments on non-human primates (NHPs). In response, in December 2023, the Minister of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) established a committee to carry out the investigation. The committee was tasked with investigating the possibility of further reducing the number of experiments with NHPs without affecting the research strictly necessary to control life-threatening diseases and outbreaks of infectious diseases that threaten public health.

The committee was not asked to provide policy advice but to conduct "an examination of what is possible and what is not." Therefore, this report consists of two parts. In the first part, the committee presents the results of its investigation into ways to reduce NHP experiments. The second part outlines four policy scenarios, which result from different weightings of relevant arguments. The committee does not express a preference for any of the policy scenarios. However, on certain issues, the committee does formulate clear conclusions that apply to all policy scenarios.