Chimpanzees once used in vaccine research receive long-term health checks

Chimpanzees once used in hepatitis B vaccine experiments have received health checks at Humane World for Animals’ Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge in central Liberia. Sanctuary director Liliana Pacheco Ricote said the examinations ranged from teeth cleaning and X-rays to pedicures and are intended to give the animals a second chance at a normal life.

More than 400 chimpanzees were used by American researchers in Liberia from the 1970s to the early 2000s, many after being captured in the wild as infants. The West African chimpanzee is critically endangered. In 2015, Humane World for Animals assumed permanent responsibility for the 60 chimpanzees remaining when the research program ended.

Under anaesthetic, the animals receive head-to-toe examinations of their teeth, heart, lungs and nervous systems, along with blood tests, booster vaccinations and nail trims. The assessments are intended to identify early signs of disease and tailor long-term care plans for individual chimpanzees, which are generally 30 to 35 years old. Checks are planned for the remaining animals.

Veterinarian Belen Perez Hernando called the examinations vital to caring for chimpanzees that have endured invasive research. Ricote said the full impact of the experiments remains unclear pending completion of the assessments.