47 
(16) Continuing communication efforts should be made to maintain maximum 
understanding on the part of all concerned relative to the various interlock- 
ing responsibilities of the agency staff, the center staff, the principal 
investigator, the host institution and others involved in the operation of a 
center. 
Chapter VII. OUTLOOK 
These regional primate research centers not only are sites of research, but 
also should be centers for the special training of future primate researchers 
and supporting personnel involved in the maintenance and handling of primates. 
It is to be expected that at the beginning the major effort in these centers 
would be to develop active research programs; these would then provide the 
setting for training programs. There are signs that this phase of center ac- 
tivity is already beginning. 
Was there something particularly significant about the number seven, that seven 
and only sev^n regional primate research centers were established? The answer 
is no. Time and chance, not magic, brought about the decision to establish 
seven centers. At the time when it was sensed administratively that Congress 
had to be presented with the image of a definitive, but limited program, the 
"sites" that appeared most ready to accept local responsibility and support 
the establishment of regional centers numbered seven. At that point in time 
and in the prevailing scheme of things an administrative decision was made to 
"close" the programfi- . The temporary Congressional authorization to use 
appropriated funds for non-matching construction was terminatedZ/ ; but not 
necessarily irrevocably, for Congress can give and Congress can take away 
such authorization when in its good judgment the giving or taking away is in 
order. When the funds were made available for the non-matching construction 
of the seventh and last center and the program became "closed, it was but 
natural to think the job done. Actually it was not. The 300 acres of land 
at Davis and the 500 at New Orleans, for example, were purchased to develop 
outdoor colonies of primates with outdoor housing and runways. These have not 
yet been built. Until they are somehow provided, the centers cannot develop 
their full and intended capabilities, but will remain underdeveloped resources. 
Additional funds are required not only for construction but also to implement 
operational developments in the centers. Some of the recommendations made 
earlier by the present Council have not been carried out. 
It was unrealistic to consider the program complete when the decision was made 
to limit the number of centers to seven. Hardly had that decision been made 
when the program was transferred from one part of NIH to another. Although the 
1^/ Congressional testimony had indicated an intent to establish six to eight 
primate centers. 
II The authorization had been made available because and only because the 
centers were to be regional, not merely local. 
