Chimpanzees once used for vaccine research get health checks as part of long-term care

Abuja, Nigeria - A group of chimpanzees previously subjected to hepatitis B vaccine research in laboratories have undergone health assessments at a sanctuary in Liberia, with the aim of improving their quality of life. The West African chimpanzees received a series of medical examinations, including teeth cleaning, X-rays, and pedicures, at the Humane World for Animals' Second Chance Chimpanzee Refuge.

Director Liliana Pacheco Ricote informed The Associated Press that more than 400 of the chimpanzees had been utilized by American researchers in Liberia for hepatitis B vaccine experiments from the 1970s until early 2000s, with many of them being captured in the wild as infants. Liberia ranks second in West Africa for chimpanzee population, following Guinea.

These West African chimpanzees are classified as critically endangered due to their rapidly decreasing numbers.

Ricote explained that the chimpanzees were subjected to invasive research, causing them significant distress. Humane World for Animals assumed responsibility for 60 remaining chimpanzees in 2015. The current sanctuary resides on mangrove forest-covered islands, where the chimps undergo comprehensive health evaluations under anesthesia to monitor their long-term well-being, detect early signs of illness, and create individualized care plans.

These evaluations encompass dental checkups, heart, lung, and nervous system assessments, blood tests, and booster vaccinations. Veterinarian Belen Perez Hernando emphasized that the health checks are crucial for caring for these chimpanzees, who have endured considerable hardship. The extent of the experiments' impact on the chimps, with an average age of 30 to 35, remains undetermined, as the assessment findings have not been completed.

However, Ricote conveyed her satisfaction in providing the chimpanzees with a dignified life, acknowledging the pain they endured during the research process.