An episode of the Dutch documentary series ‘Focus’ looks at animal research in the Netherlands, with a particular focus on non-human primate (NHP) research at the EARA member Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC). The programme explores how these studies are carried out and why NHPs are used in some areas of biomedical research. 

The documentary follows a visit to the BPRC, where viewers meet animal caretakers, researchers and Deputy Director Jan Langermans. The visit takes place at a significant moment, as  Parliament recently passed plans to withdraw funding from primate research at the BPRC, with the aim of shifting those resources towards animal-free research methods. 

The lives of the primates are shown in detail: how they live in family breeding groups, how a small number are selected for studies, how they are trained, what these studies involve and what happens once a study has ended. 

The programme also features several other voices, including a science historian, a medical doctor treating patients with Parkinson’s disease with deep brain stimulation (DBS), researchers developing advanced in vitro methods and a critical voice of animal research.  

Despite differing viewpoints, there is broad agreement on one point: alternative methods are valuable when combined with other methods, but not yet able to replace animal research.