Challenges with Assessing and Treating Pain in Research Primates: A Focused Survey and Literature Review

SIMPLE SUMMARY: It is crucial that research primates receive adequate pain treatment from ethical, animal welfare, and research-related perspectives. There is limited research on current pain management in research primates. A survey was administered to primate veterinarians (n = 93 respondents) to investigate a veterinary approach to pain recognition and alleviation as well as the pain management challenges that primate veterinarians may face. Survey results were used to guide a subsequent literature review on the topic. This review discusses current evidence and challenges in research primate pain management such as limited pharmacokinetic data and efficacy testing as well as a lack of validated pain assessment tools to recognize and evaluate pain in primates. Both the survey and literature review demonstrate gaps and challenges in primate pain management, and suggest science-based recommendations for improving current management guidance as well as future areas of research. ABSTRACT: Research primates may undergo surgical procedures making effective pain management essential to ensure good animal welfare and unbiased scientific data. Adequate pain mitigation is dependent on whether veterinarians, technicians, researchers, and caregivers can recognize and assess pain, as well as the availability of efficacious therapeutics. A survey was conducted to evaluate primate veterinary approaches to pain assessment and alleviation, as well as expressed challenges for adequately managing primate pain. The survey (n = 93 respondents) collected information regarding institutional policies and procedures for pain recognition, methods used for pain relief, and perceived levels of confidence in primate pain assessment. Results indicated that 71% (n = 60) of respondents worked at institutions that were without formal experimental pain assessment policies. Pain assessment methods were consistent across respondents with the majority evaluating pain based on changes in general activity levels (100%, n = 86) and food consumption (97%, n = 84). Self-reported confidence in recognizing and managing pain ranged from slightly confident to highly confident, and there was a commonly expressed concern about the lack of objective pain assessment tools and science-based evidence regarding therapeutic recommendations of analgesics for research primates. These opinions correspond with significant gaps in the primate pain management literature, including limited specific pharmacokinetic data and efficacy testing for commonly used analgesics in research primate species as well as limited research on objective and specific measures of pain in research primates. These results demonstrate that there are inconsistencies in institutional policies and procedures surrounding pain management in research primates and a lack of objective pain assessment methods. Demonstrating the gaps and challenges in primate pain management can inform guideline development and suggest areas for future research.