EUPRIM-Net II : European primate network : advancing 3Rs and international standards in biological and biomedical research

The EU has banned the use of great apes in safety testing and biomedical research and allows experimentation on other non-human primates (NHPs) only where it is necessary and irreplaceable. If it cannot be avoided, it must be conducted to the highest standards of ethics. The EU further stipulates that the utilisation of live animals in research should be reduced, refined and replaced. EUPRIM-Net has been advancing this concept since 2006, adding fresh momentum to this drive with the launch of EUPRIM-Net II. The EU supports under FP7 more than 70 networks of research infrastructures covering all scientific fields. The aim is to optimise the use of the facilities by providing support to transnational access and to develop joint research activities.