An IQ Consortium Perspective on The Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks Final Opinion on the Need for Nonhuman Primates in Biomedical Research, Production and Testing of Products and Devices (Update 2017)

• Published in: Toxicologic pathology Vol. 47; no. 5; p. 649
• Main Authors: Adams, Khary, Clemons, Donna, Impelluso, Lynn Collura, Lee, Donna, Maguire, Sean, Myers, Alexis, Petursson, Christopher, Schulingkamp, Robert, Trouba, Kevin, Wright, Matthew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2019
• Subjects: Animal Use Alternatives - ethics; Animal Use Alternatives - legislation & jurisprudence; Animal Use Alternatives - trends; Animal Welfare; Animals; Bioethics; Biomedical Research - ethics; Biomedical Research - legislation & jurisprudence; Biomedical Research - methods; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - ethics; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - methods; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical - trends; European Union; Government Regulation; Primates; toxicology; scientific Opinion; vaccines; neuroscience; infectious diseases; testing; IQ; nonhuman primate; (xeno)transplantation; SCHEER; biomedical research; DruSafe (IQ Consortium Preclinical Safety Leadership Group); safety; ophthalmology
• ISSN: 1533-1601
• DOI: 10.1177/0192623319857976

The recent Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks Final Opinion on "The need for nonhuman primates in biomedical research, production and testing of products and devices" (2017 SCHEER) highlights approaches that could significantly contribute to the replacement, reduction, and refinement of nonhuman primate (NHP) studies. Initiatives that have the potential to affect NHP welfare and/or their use are expected to be appropriate, fair, and objective and publicly disseminated information focused on NHPs in biomedical research, which includes toxicologic and pathologic research and testing, should be objectively evaluated by stakeholder scientists, researchers, and veterinarians. Thus, IQ Consortium member companies convened to develop an informed and objective response, focusing on identifying areas of agreement, potential gaps, or missing information in 2017 SCHEER. Overall, the authors agree that many positions in the 2017 SCHEER Opinion generally align with industry views on the use of NHPs in research and testing, including the ongoing need of NHPs in many areas of research. From the perspective of the IQ Consortium, there are several topics in the 2017 SCHEER that merit additional comment, attention, or research, as well as consideration in future opinions.