WASHINGTON, June 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — In collaboration with leading independent scientists, the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR) today submitted a petition to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) challenging the recent designation of the long-tailed macaque (Cynomolgus macaque) as an endangered species according to the IUCN inclusion criteria. This designation is the result of misused data that does not support listing the species as threatened. NABR calls for an immediate review.
The president of the National Association for Biomedical Research, Matthew R. Bailey commented: “Non-human primates represent less than 0.5% of all research animals, but they play a critical role in the development of new drugs, devices and vaccines. for people and pets Tens of thousands of drugs and therapies would never be developed without long-tailed macaques Long-tailed macaque listing and ensuing import restrictions must be based on the best scientific evidence Arbitrary restrictions imposed on the importation of long-tailed macaques could endanger millions of human lives and threaten global public health.”
“The listing of the long-tailed macaque on the IUCN endangered species list sets a dangerous precedent because this determination is not based on peer-reviewed scientific information. This is particularly concerning because arbitrary actions such as this make medical research that saves lives even more difficult to carry out in the US and other countries.”
The IUCN assessment completed in 2022 does not present scientific evidence to support reclassification of the long-tailed macaque from vulnerable to endangered. The IUCN assessment contains numerous errors and misstatements, and provides no real evidence of the decline of the species compared to previous assessments.
Non-human primates are currently irreplaceable in neuroscience, neurodegenerative disorders, infectious diseases, immunotherapy, reproduction, aging, chronic inflammatory diseases, and other areas of science. Because non-human primates and humans share 93-98% of the same DNA, have similar brain anatomies, and share similar body systems, they are a key player in biomedical research discoveries that lead to new drugs, vaccines and biologics. The vast majority of drugs on the market today are based on safety and efficacy data obtained in multiple animal models before moving on to human clinical trials, as demonstrated by the study by the Foundation for Biomedical Research on the 25 drugs and major animal models.
The President of the National Association for Biomedical Research, Matthew R. Bailey, will testify before the Animals Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which will meet in Geneva on Monday, June 19, 2023, calling for a review of the endangered species list.
BACKGROUND
Long-tailed macaques are widely used in medical research to develop drugs in the United States. The National Academies report Nonhuman Primate Models in Biomedical Research: State of the Science and Future Needs (2023) underscores that animal experimentation followed by human clinical trials remains the best way to examine the complex physiological, neuroanatomical, reproductive effects today. , developmental, and cognitive testing of drugs to determine if they are safe and effective for market approval. Major regulatory agencies around the world, such as the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, require that most new drugs and biologics be evaluated for safety and efficacy measures with rodent and non-rodent animal models, including non-human primates, before human clinical trials can safely begin.
On March 7, 2022, the IUCN determined that the long-tailed macaque should be considered “endangered” under the IUCN criteria. The basis for this determination is described in an evaluation conducted by M.F. Hansen et al. (Hansen et al. 2022).
On June 15, 2023, NABR filed a petition with the IUCN to challenge the change in listing status. Scientists involved in drafting the petition point to a lack of data to support the state’s recent determination. In their review of Hansen et al. (2022), the petition notes that the referenced scientific literature is often misinterpreted and that such information does not demonstrate that the long-tailed macaque has declined.
Submission of this petition by NABR triggers a scientific review by IUCN. During this review, scientists will examine the best available scientific information to determine the status of the long-tailed macaque according to the IUCN criteria. At the end of this process, the IUCN will announce its conclusions and any changes in the status of the species.
Acerca de la National Association for Biomedical Research
Founded in 1979, the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR) is the only 501(c)(6) nonprofit association dedicated to sound public policy for the human use of animals in biomedical research, education, and experimentation. . Its members include more than 340 universities, medical and veterinary schools, teaching hospitals, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, patient groups, and academic and professional societies that rely on responsible and humane animal research to improve human and animal health worldwide. the world. Learn more about us at www.nabr.org.
Contact: Eva Maciejewskiemaciejewski@nabr.org(202) 967-8305
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