Experts argued the ethics of primate research at a debate held at Memorial Union Monday.
The debate, which featured Paul Kaufman, chair of the UW-Madison Department of Ophthalmology, and Rick Bogle, co-director of Alliance for Animals, was moderated by Rob Streiffer, UW-Madison professor of medical history and bioethics.
The UW-Madison Department of Psychology conducts biomedical and behavioral research at both the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and the Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, which hosts about 500 rhesus macaque monkeys.
According to Kaufman, who uses monkeys to investigate cures for glaucoma and other eye-related diseases, studying animals is the necessary final test before permitting research on human beings.
He said the importance of preserving the life and health of humans requires that researchers establish specific distinctions between human and nonhuman primates.
""But [monkeys] are not us,"" he said. ""I would posit that we have the ethical right and obligation to employ those species if it is going to help our health and life.""
However, Bogle, who has advocated for over 15 years against the use of monkeys in research, argued that the distinction between monkeys and humans is not large enough.
According to Bogle, monkeys have concerns for one another, a sense of self and a similar consciousness to humans and should be free from research.
He also said he is concerned with the treatment of the monkeys in research centers.
""We know that the monkeys in the labs tend to have some sort of abnormal behaviors. They bite themselves, they chew on their fingers, they pull their hair out,"" he said.
Bogle also questioned the overall effectiveness of primate research conducted at facilities like the Harlow Center. The transition from basic primate research to actual clinical research is dismal, he said.
""Because it might down the road do us some sort of good, we can discount their life,"" he said. ""That's not right.""
Kaufman said he realizes improvements in primate research are necessary but believes in the importance of continuing primate research.
""It is correct to say that the hit rate in biomedical research is not nearly so high as we'd like it to be. It is incredibly incorrect to say it doesn't matter,"" he said. ""There is nothing that goes into humans at a high biological level that doesn't pass through animals.""
