In a dramatic press conference held in Washington, D.C., outside the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, PETA raises the alarm on a shocking and largely hidden public health threat: the importation of tuberculosis (TB)-infected monkeys into the United States for use in laboratory experiments. This eye-opening event features crates of shrieking “monkeys” and humans in hazmat suits to highlight the grave biosecurity risk involved—one that has remained dangerously under the radar for far too long.

PETA’s new investigation alleges that monkeys imported from Asia and Africa have been quietly bringing TB into U.S. research labs for years, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doing little to stop it. PETA says, from 2021 to 2024, 69 cases were detected while the monkeys were in quarantine, with another 16 after the monkeys were sent to laboratories. However, PETA says the CDC tested only 107 animals—an alarmingly small sample from the nearly 100,000 monkeys imported during this time period.

Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel, a former primate researcher and PETA’s Senior Science Advisor for Primate Experimentation, calls the situation a ticking time bomb. She condemns the CDC’s lack of oversight and alleges that the agency has ignored repeated warnings about the risks. According to PETA, the CDC relies on voluntary data from importers, allowing infected monkeys to slip through the cracks and enter high-security laboratory environments—putting both humans and animals at risk.

PETA says this biosecurity crisis is revealed in a report by the CDC itself, which PETA says confirms that TB-positive monkeys have been imported into the U.S., posing a serious threat to public health and safety.

PETA's urgent call to action is: end the importation of monkeys into the United States immediately. The organization highlights not only the public health implications but also the moral and scientific flaws in continuing to use primates in research. In the face of preventable zoonotic disease transmission and outdated animal testing models, PETA urges a transition toward modern, humane, and science-driven alternatives.

Now, we will get the latest from Dr. Jones-Engel herself, as PETA confronts government inaction and demands immediate policy reform to safeguard lives—both human and nonhuman. Read PETA’s full report here: https://shorturl.at/o7mMi Watch the entire news conference here: https://watch.unchainedtv.com/peta/videos/peta-news-conf-tb-in-monkeys

Plus, we get the very latest on the battle to stop a massive laboratory monkey breeding facility in Bainbridge, Georgia. Award-winning filmmaker Thomas Wade Jackson—who is currently producing a documentary about this very battle—shares exclusive insights into the growing resistance. We also hear from a passionate local leader at the forefront of this grassroots movement.

This episode of Truth Files with Jane Velez-Mitchell brings you breaking developments you won’t see anywhere else.

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