Dutch Senate Votes to Shift Public Funding From Primate Experiments to Human-Focused Research

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine welcomes the historic decision by the Dutch Senate to phase out public funding for primate experiments at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) in Rijswijk, the largest primate research facility in Europe. Over the next five years, approximately €12.5 million per year in public funds will be redirected from research involving monkeys to innovative, human-specific research methods.

The decision, approved on October 28, marks a major step forward for both science and ethics, steering the Netherlands toward a future of research that better serves patients while sparing animals from harm.

“The evidence supporting a shift away from using animals in medical research, especially for primates, is more comprehensive and powerful than ever before,” said Jarrod Bailey, PhD, director of medical research at the Physicians Committee. “By redirecting millions of euros in public funds toward human-based science, the Netherlands is investing in superior, more ethical research methods that will benefit both people and animals.”

The Physicians Committee, which represents more than one million members and supporters worldwide, contributed to this achievement through direct support of Dutch partners at the foundation Proefdiervrij (the Dutch Society for the Replacement of Animal Testing), the Netherlands’ leading organization promoting animal-free science. Earlier this year, the Physicians Committee submitted a letter to members of the Dutch Senate signed by 127 physician members, urging a positive vote on the measure. The letter outlined the scientific and ethical benefits of replacing outdated primate experiments with advanced, human-relevant approaches, such as organ-on-a-chip technologies, brain organoids, and AI-based disease models.

Proefdiervrij credited the Physicians Committee’s input as an important part of international outreach that helped secure support for the amendment, reinforcing global momentum toward replacing animal experiments with human-specific research methods.

The Netherlands’ decision builds on years of work by Dutch policymakers and scientists to reduce animal use and accelerate the transition to modern biomedical science. It aligns with global trends, including efforts by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, to advance research models that are more predictive of human biology and more efficient for developing new treatments.

To speak with Dr. Bailey or to see the letter, please contact Reina Pohl at 202-527-7326 or rpohl [at] pcrm.org (rpohl[at]pcrm[dot]org).