Published February 4, 2026 by PETA Staff.

The Oregon National Primate Research Center is one vote away from stopping all experiments on monkeys, ending breeding, and exploring converting the facility into a sanctuary for those remaining.

The Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) Board of Directors just released a resolution that, if passed, would direct university president Dr. Shereef Elnahal to work with the National Institutes of Health to create a workable plan to phase out all experiments on monkeys at the center and convert the facility into a sanctuary where all remaining monkeys could live out their lives free of pain and fear.

The board is scheduled to cast historic votes at a special meeting on February 9.

The phase-out of experiments at Oregon’s primate center and the end of breeding would be a colossal win for animals and for science, and PETA gives abundant credit to the university’s leadership, our dedicated Oregon supporters, and the aid of the state legislators for helping to realize it.

Fighting for Freedom

PETA has never, ever, given up the fight to end the torment of the nearly 5,000 monkeys imprisoned at Oregon’s primate center. In the past year, PETA has worked overtime to expose the primate center’s failings and provide solid, reliable scientific information to the OHSU board. PETA has gathered support from our 93,000 Oregon supporters, exposed violations, worked with whistleblowers, educated legislators, testified at legislative sessions, and more.

PETA’s two undercover investigations of the primate center show the monkeys’ immeasurable suffering. Many are confined to small cages. Some endure full-body irradiation, and some are electro-ejaculated. Pregnant monkeys are fed cannabis, and experimenters force alcohol addiction on monkeys.

The Oregon National Primate Research Center is not a place that provides cures and treatments for humans, and the university will be better served by embracing state-of-the-art science and channeling resources into more reliable research methods that will help human patients in desperate need of treatment.

What You Can Do

We’re nearly across the finish line. Please send very polite emails to the university’s Board of Directors at [email protected] and urge them to pass the resolution to end experiments at the primate center and plan for conversion to a sanctuary.