National Institutes of Health announces end to chimpanzee research

NIH sees 'no further justification for invasive biomedical research' and will transfer remaining 50 chimps to an ape sanctuary

The US National Institutes of Health will wind up its programme of medical research upon chimpanzees, announcing that 50 of its remaining great apes will be sent to sanctuaries.

In an email to agency administrators on 16 November, NIH director Francis Collins said there was "no further justification for the 50 chimpanzees to continue to be kept available for invasive biomedical research", according to Nature. The NIH will also phase out its support for chimps that it maintains for research but does not keep, meaning that around 360 chimps will be relocated.