This policy statement was written by members of the ASP Primate Care Committee. It was originally approved by the ASP Board of Directors and published in November 2014, and was revised and updated in March 2025. Background: The ASP Primate Care Committee formulated the following policy statement to provide a public document regarding the ASP’s stance […]

February 8, 2014 The American Society of Primatologists supports the humane and ethical use of nonhuman primates in research, including biomedical research, and has made strong statements to this effect in the past (https://asp.org/society/ ). As a scientific society with a strong educational mission, the American Society of Primatologists applauds and supports efforts to educate the […]

March 22, 2013 Section 1 – Ethologically Appropriate Physical and Social Environments: Recommendation 1) Chimpanzees must have the opportunity to live in sufficiently large, complex, multi-male, multi-female social groupings, ideally consisting of at least 7 individuals. Unless dictated by clearly documented medical or social circumstances, no chimpanzee should be required to live alone for extended […]

At the request of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and in response to congressional inquiry, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently conducted an analysis of the scientific necessity of chimpanzees for NIH-funded biomedical and behavioral research. This IOM committee issued its report, entitled “Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Assessing the Necessity” ( available at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13257) […]

The American Society of Primatologists (ASP) is a scientific organization whose purpose is to encourage the discovery, exchange and dissemination of information regarding nonhuman primates, including their biology, care, and conservation. Dr. Fragaszy, ASP President, asked ASP’s Primate Care Committee to provide a statement related to implementing the recommendations of the IOM committee.   Please see […]

January 22, 2012 At the request of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and in response to congressional inquiry, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently conducted an analysis of the scientific necessity of chimpanzees for NIH-funded biomedical and behavioral research. This IOM committee issued its report on December 15, 2011, which is entitled, “Chimpanzees in […]

Docket No. 98-121-1Regulatory Analysis and DevelopmentPPD, APHIS, Suite 3C034700 River Road Unit 118Riverdale, MD 20737-1238 To Whom it May Concern: We wish to submit the following comments pertaining to Docket No. 98-121-1, described in the Federal Register (Vol. 64, No. 135) as ‘Draft policy on environment enhancement for nonhuman primates’ (hereafter referred to as the […]

Approved by the Executive Committee in 1983 The American Society of Primatologists promotes and encourages the discovery and exchange of information regarding primates, including all aspects of their behavior, genetics, physiology, reproduction, conservation, husbandry, and use in biomedical research. The society acknowledges the important contributions to human health which result from studies of nonhuman primates. […]

From: ASP Bulletin 20(3):2, 1996 The following statement was reviewed by the Research and Development Committee of the American Society of Primatologists and the Society’s Board of Directors. The Board of Directors officially approved this policy statement in its present form on August 12, 1996. WHEREAS chimpanzees are present in the U.S. in research centers, zoological […]

This resolution is now superseded by an updated ASP Resolution Regarding Conservation of Wild Primates, approved by the ASP Board of Directors on November 6, 2023. On September 10, 1993, the ASP Board of Directors approved a resolution outlining the Society’s position on the conservation of wild primate populations. The text of the resolution follows: […]