Major Medical Breakthroughs that
Primate Research Has Provided to Humanity
Polio
Vaccines based on primate research have reduced the number
of cases of polio in the United States from 58,000 to one
or two per year.
Rh Disease
The development of Rh immunoglobulin has reduced the number
of cases of Rh disease in babies to fewer than 16 in every
10,000. Rh disease was once a very common problem.
AIDS
Many of the drugs that are proving to be effective in combating
AIDS were tested in nonhuman primates. Many other potential
drugs were proven to be ineffective in primates, sparing humans
from clinical trials with ineffective drugs.
Atherosclerosis
Dietary supplements to treat homocystinuria, a condition that
can lead to atherosclerosis, were developed in research with
monkeys.
Periodontal Disease
Research with monkeys established that a specific bacterium
is associated with periodontal disease. This disease affects
75 percent of all adults and is responsible for 70 percent
of adult tooth loss. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug,
flurbiprofen, was shown to be effective in halting the progression
of periodontal disease in monkeys. This drug is now used in
humans.
Hepatitis A
The use of immunoglobulin injections to protect against
hepatitis A was developed in chimpanzees. Recently, a safe,
effective vaccine for hepatitis A was developed through research
with chimpanzees and tamarins.
Hepatitis C
The identification, isolation and cloning of hepatitis
C virus was dependent upon research with chimpanzees.
Air Quality Standards
Safe air quality standards have been established
through research on lung disease in monkeys experimentally
exposed to air pollution.
Retina Development
Research with rhesus monkeys established the importance
of a dietary amino acid, taurine, in the development of the
retina of the eye. As a result of these findings, taurine
is added to human infant formulas, resulting in the prevention
of blindness.
Benefits of SFBR's Research
