By Raphael Lepilleur. Synthesis number 2676, Published on 06/04/2026
Producing 1,800 primates for research in France is presented as a necessity by the CNRS project. However, the opinion of the CNRS ethics committee goes beyond the project itself and highlights the limitations of the system: persistent opacity, incomplete dissemination of results, insufficient alternatives, and structural contradictions. The debate between science and sustainable organization of experimentation largely takes place behind closed doors.
The selected document is an opinion of the CNRS Ethics Committee (COMETS), requested by the organization’s management to provide an opinion on the use of animals for scientific purposes. This request comes amid tensions around these practices and specifically addresses a specific case: the primate center project in Rousset (Bouches-du-Rhône), aiming to breed around 1,800 primates for research by 2032.
The opinion, developed by a working group including Virginie Courtier-Orgogozo, reveals internal tensions on the excessive use of primates in France. While adhering to general recommendations, Courtier-Orgogozo opposes the center project, emphasizing the reliance on primates in the country.
The COMETS analysis is based on a European framework that allows animal experimentation under strict conditions, emphasizing the replacement, reduction, and refinement principles to minimize animal suffering.
These limits and recommendations extend beyond the CNRS and call for transparency in all animal usage for academic research.
The National Primate Center project is a focal point for these tensions. The CNRS supports local production of primates to secure supply chains and ensure better conditions of captivity. However, Courtier-Orgogozo argues that current capacities are sufficient, suggesting occasional importations to meet additional needs.
Courtier-Orgogozo’s divergent position questions the necessity of increased primate usage in research, highlighting France’s high primate usage compared to other European countries. The necessity and ethical implications of primate research are central to the ongoing debate.
Primates are the closest animals to humans, with sophisticated cognitive and emotional capabilities. Despite being captive-bred, they remain sensitive to confinement, raising concerns about their treatment in research practices. This issue extends beyond animal advocacy groups and touches on decisions that impact society as a whole.
