The UK government has unveiled a new roadmap to accelerate the phase-out of animals used in science by supporting researchers to transition to alternative methods. 

A recent opinion article in The Transmitter by US neuroscientists Cory Miller, from the University of California, San Diego, J. Anthony Movshon, from New York University, and Doris Tsao, from the University of California, Berkeley, raised concerns over the recent policy changes in Europe and the US that would scale back animal research – including in primates.  

A study in Germany revealed that pig pancreas development closely resembles humans, making pigs valuable for studying pancreatic diseases, including diabetes. 

The Dutch Senate has approved the 2026 budget for Education and Science, including a controversial amendment that will end public funding for primate research at the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) by 2030. Starting in 2026, the BPRC must redirect 40% of its subsidy to alternative research methods, increasing by 20% every year. 

Scientists in the US have discovered how the brain can recover from a distraction to return to the task at hand, in a study using monkeys.  

The first EU-Simia Japan meeting took place at CNRS headquarters in Paris on 27-28 October 2025, gathering over 100 scientists specialising in primate biomedical research. Japanese researchers presented work on immunology, development, neurodegenerative diseases and decision-making mechanisms, while European and North American colleagues shared progress in vaccine therapies and neuro-technologies. 

The first EARA Conference (#EARA2025) took place on 6–7 November at the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) in Berlin, co-organised with MDC and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The event gathered over 200 participants from 23 countries, including researchers, animal welfare officers, journalists, communicators and policy specialists, to exchange ideas on transparency, ethics and effective science communication.

Researchers in Belgium have discovered, in a mouse study, that a gene mutation long linked to psoriasis also affects gut function. Psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious skin condition caused by an overactive immune system. It leads to red, scaly patches and skin inflammation and may affect other organs, including the gut.  

EARA’s Patient Discovery initiative, aimed at raising awareness about the use of animals in research among patient groups and creating a space for patients to voice informed opinions about animal research in public discussions, has had a successful Discovery Day in Belgium with the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA) and hosted by EARA member KU Leuven.

The New Democratic Party in Canada has launched a petition calling on the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to halt primate imports for biomedical research, based on a conflation of unproven allegations that could cost lives. While the petition is wrapped in animal conservation language, it conveniently ignores the millions of human lives saved by the very research it seeks to abolish.