PRIMTRAIN delivered input to the SCHEER Final Opinion on The need for non-human primates in biomedical research, production and testing of products and devices (update 2017)
Following a request from the European Commission, the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) reviewed recent evidence to update the 2009 Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHEER) on ‘The need for non-human primates in biomedical research, production and testing of products and devices’.
This Opinion responds to six main issues in the mandate and highlights the many scientific approaches that could significantly contribute to the replacement, reduction and refinement (3Rs) of Non-Human Primates (NHP) studies and tests. However, there are significant issues that go beyond scientific rationale that prevent widespread adoption and development of alternatives for NHP laboratory use and these are discussed with suggestions of the opportunities to overcome them.
Although the current state of knowledge does not permit to propose a timetable for phasing-out the use of NHP in Europe, the Opinion provides recommendations on how to advance 3Rs for NHP use, such as through alternative methods, training, improvement of techniques and protocols, sharing of knowledge and removal of barriers. Finally, research need sare given.
In preparation of the final opinion, a public consultation was opened on the website of the Scientific Committees from 10 February to 26 March 2017. Information about the public consultation was broadly communicated to national authorities, international organisations and other stakeholders.
190 contributors from Academia, researchers, Member States, Non-Governmental Organisations and industry, providing a total of 318 comments, participated in the public consultation, providing input to different chapters and subchapters of the Opinion. PRIMTRAIN delivered relevant input of which many points have been included in the Final Opinion.

Read the full opinion here:
https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/scientific_committees/scheer/docs/scheer_o_004.pdf
Read the fact-sheet explaining the Opinion in a layman language:
https://ec.europa.eu/health/sites/health/files/scientific_committees/docs/citizens_primates_en.pdf
Read the web-summary explaining the Opinion in a layman language:
https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/non-human-primates-testing_en

Prescott MJ, Langermans JA, Ragan I (2017) Applying the 3Rs to non-human primate research: barriers and solutions. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Models.
doi: 10.1016/j.ddmod.2017.11.001

Please find a list of Workshops and Training Schools [here].

Presentation of PRIMTRAIN [pdf]