Non-human primates used in biomedical research have complex social and cognitive needs that standard laboratory housing often fails to meet, requiring dedicated enrichment and social housing.
Non-human primates are highly intelligent, social animals whose welfare needs are difficult to meet in laboratory environments. Social isolation, which is common in biomedical research settings, causes significant psychological distress in species that live in complex groups in the wild. Environmental enrichment that allows foraging, manipulation, and problem-solving is essential but often insufficient to compensate for confinement. Experimental procedures including blood draws, injections, and surgical interventions cause pain and distress that must be minimised through anaesthesia and analgesia. The 3Rs framework (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) is widely endorsed but unevenly implemented. Greater investment in non-animal research methods and in improving the welfare of animals still used is urgently needed. Outdoor housing, compatible social groups, and environmental complexity all measurably improve primate welfare outcomes.