Experimenting on Animals: Inside The Monkey Lab

Summary

Vice News explores the controversial Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC), Europe's largest facility for testing deadly infections on live monkeys. Despite being a progressive center for animal welfare, it faces ongoing protests from animal rights activists. The center's breeding program mimics wild group dynamics, with only 10% of animals used for experiments annually. Staff members, though conflicted, defend the necessity of such research for developing life-saving treatments.

Takeaways

• 🏥 The Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC) is a non-profit science laboratory in Europe that tests deadly infections and diseases on live monkeys.
• 🐒 The BPRC is home to around 1600 monkeys, including 1200 Rhesus macaques, 150 long-tail macaques, and 200-250 common macaques.
• 🛡️ The center is known for its progressive approach to housing and caring for monkeys, which is considered one of the most forward-thinking in Europe.
• 🔬 Animal testing at the BPRC has contributed to breakthroughs such as the polio vaccine and treatments for HIV and AIDS.
• 🚫 Despite its progressive reputation, the BPRC is a target for animal rights activists who have been protesting outside for 20 years.
• 👥 Vice News was granted rare access to the facility to explore the compatibility of monkey testing and animal welfare.
• 🌳 The BPRC has breeding groups designed to mimic natural social structures in the wild, with young males leaving their natal groups to prevent inbreeding.
• 🔢 Only about 10% of the monkeys at the BPRC are used in experiments each year, maintaining the balance of the social groups.
• 🤔 The script raises questions about the necessity of using live monkeys for developing life-saving drugs and the treatment of the animals involved.
• 👩‍🔬 Staff at the BPRC acknowledge the difficulty of seeing animals being tested but believe in the importance of their work for medical advancements.
• 🌐 The protesters refer to the facility as the 'monkey hell of Rijswijk,' a term the facility's officials do not agree with.

Q & A

What is the name of the facility mentioned in the script?

The facility is called the Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC).

What type of work does the Biomedical Primate Research Center engage in?

The BPRC tests some of the world's most deadly infections and diseases on live monkeys.

Why is the BPRC considered one of the most forward-thinking and progressive research centers?

It is considered forward-thinking and progressive because of its focus on housing and caring for its monkeys, as well as its efforts to make monkey testing and animal welfare compatible.

How long have animal rights activists been protesting outside the BPRC?

Animal rights activists have been protesting outside the center for the last 20 years.

What breakthroughs have been attributed to testing on non-human primates?

Breakthroughs such as the polio vaccine and treatments against HIV and AIDS have been attributed to testing on non-human primates.

How many different types of macaques does the BPRC have in its breeding facility?

The BPRC has 1200 Rhesus macaques, around 150 long-tail macaques, and 200-250 common macaques.

What percentage of the animals at the BPRC are involved in experiments each year?

On average, only 10% of the animals at the BPRC move into experiments per year.

How does the BPRC maintain the structure and balance of the monkey groups?

The BPRC creates breeding groups that resemble those in the wild, with young males leaving their natal group at about 4-5 years of age to prevent in-breeding.

What is the protesters' nickname for the BPRC's breeding facility?

The protesters call the breeding facility 'the monkey hell of Rijswijk'.

What does the BPRC staff member in the script believe about the necessity of using monkeys for research?

The staff member believes that using monkeys for research is necessary for developing life-saving drugs and feels that what they do is the right thing.

How does the BPRC staff member reconcile the emotional difficulty of seeing monkeys being tested on?

The staff member reconciles this by understanding the purpose of the research and believing in the importance of the work they are doing.

Outlines

00:00

🐒 Ethical Dilemma of Animal Testing at BPRC

The script introduces the Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC), a non-profit science laboratory in Europe known for testing deadly infections and diseases on live monkeys. Despite being a leader in progressive research and animal care, the facility faces ongoing protests from animal rights activists who have dubbed it the 'monkey hell of Rijswijk.' The video aims to explore the necessity of using monkeys for life-saving drug development and the welfare conditions of the animals involved. The BPRC houses various species of macaques, with only a small percentage subjected to experiments each year, maintaining the social structure of the groups. The staff acknowledges the emotional difficulty of the work but justifies it based on the potential benefits to human health.

Keywords

💡Protestants

Protesters in the script refer to individuals or groups advocating for social or political change. In this context, they are against the use of animals for testing at the Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC). The term is central to the video's theme as it highlights the ongoing debate between scientific necessity and animal rights.

💡Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC)

The BPRC is the main setting of the video and represents a scientific institution that conducts research on live monkeys for the study of deadly infections and diseases. It is the largest facility of its kind in Europe and is portrayed as forward-thinking in terms of animal welfare, yet it remains a focal point for controversy and protests.

💡Animal welfare

Animal welfare is a central theme in the video, referring to the physical and psychological well-being of animals, particularly those used for testing at the BPRC. The script explores whether the facility can maintain high standards of animal care while still conducting necessary medical research.

💡Non-human primates

Non-human primates are used in the script to describe the monkeys that are the subjects of the research at the BPRC. These animals are significant to the video's narrative as they are the link between scientific advancement and ethical concerns regarding animal testing.

💡Polio vaccine

The polio vaccine is mentioned in the script as a breakthrough achieved through testing on non-human primates. It serves as an example of the positive outcomes that can result from such research, underlining the complex ethical considerations involved in animal testing.

💡HIV and AIDS

HIV and AIDS treatments are highlighted in the script as another example of medical advancements that have been facilitated by testing on non-human primates. This keyword emphasizes the life-saving potential of the research conducted at the BPRC.

💡Rhesus macaques

Rhesus macaques are one of the species of monkeys mentioned in the script, kept in the breeding facility of the BPRC. The term is relevant as it specifies the type of animals involved in the research and contributes to the discussion about the facility's animal welfare practices.

💡Long-tail macaques

Long-tail macaques, like Rhesus macaques, are another species of monkeys mentioned in the script. They are part of the BPRC's breeding program and are central to the video's exploration of the ethical treatment of animals in research settings.

💡Common macaques

Common macaques are also part of the BPRC's breeding facility, as mentioned in the script. This keyword adds to the understanding of the diversity of species used in the facility and the scale of the breeding program.

💡Breeding groups

Breeding groups in the script refer to the social structures created within the BPRC to mimic natural groupings of monkeys in the wild. This concept is key to the video's theme as it demonstrates the facility's efforts to prioritize animal welfare in their breeding practices.

💡In-breeding

In the script, in-breeding is mentioned as a biological concern that the BPRC aims to prevent by managing the breeding groups of monkeys. This term is relevant as it illustrates the scientific and ethical considerations in maintaining a healthy and diverse population of monkeys for research.

Highlights

Vice News gains rare access to the Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC), a non-profit science laboratory.

BPRC tests some of the world's most deadly infections and diseases on live monkeys.

The facility is the largest of its kind in Europe and is considered forward-thinking and progressive.

Animal rights activists have protested outside BPRC for the last 20 years.

Testing on non-human primates has led to breakthroughs such as the polio vaccine and HIV/AIDS treatments.

BPRC's breeding facility houses 1200 Rhesus macaques, 150 long-tail macaques, and 200-250 common macaques.

Protesters refer to the facility as the 'monkey hell of Rijswijk'.

BPRC has created breeding groups that mimic natural social structures to prevent in-breeding.

Only 10% of the 1600 animals at BPRC move into experiments per year, maintaining group balance.

Staff at BPRC see the monkeys that are sent to labs for testing and acknowledge the emotional difficulty.

BPRC staff believe in the necessity of their work for developing life-saving drugs.

The documentary explores the ethical balance between animal welfare and medical advancement.

BPRC's approach to animal care and testing is presented as a model for other research centers.

The facility's transparency with Vice News aims to address public concerns and misconceptions.

The documentary raises questions about the necessity of animal testing in modern scientific research.

BPRC's breeding program and testing practices are contrasted with the protesters' views.

The documentary provides an inside look at the daily life and treatment of monkeys at BPRC.

BPRC's commitment to ethical treatment and progressive research methods is highlighted.

Transcripts

The Protestors are probably on the same side as the people within the facility

everybody wants to no longer have to use the animals

Vice News gained rare access to a non for profit science laboratory

which tests some of the world's most deadly infections and diseases on live monkeys

The facility is called the Biomedical Primate Research Center

or BPRC

and they're allowing us to film inside to see with our own eyes

if monkey testing and animal welfare can go hand in hand

Testing on non human primates has left to breakthroughs

such as a polio vaccine and treatments against HIV and AIDS

and the BPRC is the largest facility of its kind in Europe

it's considered to be one the most forward thinking and progressive research centers

for housing and caring for its monkeys

but they are still the focus of animal rights activists

who have continued to protest outside the center

for the last 20 years

They are protesting against what is happening in the facility

No one gets in without noticing that these people are here

We wanted to understand why it is still necessary

to develop life-saving drugs through experiments on live monkeys

and how the animals are being treated

So, where are we?

This is our breeding facility

Over here are 1200 Rhesus macaques

We have around 150 long-tail macaques

and we have 200-250 common macaques

The protesters called this place the monkey hell of Rijswijk

How do you relate to that?

Officially, I do not agree with how they call

Because as of 1996

we started to create these breeding groups

that look much more like how you would find these groups in the wild

young males, about 4-5 years of age

they leave their natal group

before they immigrate into a new group

where there are no relatives to prevent in-breeding

So in this case you take out the young males

and they are either sent to the lab or to another breeding facility?

Yeah, yeah

Out of the 1600 animals in the BPRC

on average, only 10% move into experiments per year

meaning the structure and balance of the groups are left in tact

Do you also see the monkeys that go to the lab and that are being tested on?

Yes, I see those animals too and that's very hard sometimes

But because I know what we are using them for

and I really feel that what we do is the right thing, I can handle that