The contribution and importance of animal research to HIV prevention in the United States

Non-human primate research has been critical for the advancement of HIV prevention including the development of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Many studies have been conducted by or in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and/or the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In November 2025, scientists at the CDC were notified that studies involving animal research and specifically non-human primate research were being eliminated. These and other efforts to eliminate non-human primate research will have serious consequences in the field of HIV prevention and will hamper future efforts to develop and evaluate HIV prevention approaches including PrEP.