38 
"national." The difference between "regional" and "national" is not clear-cut, 
for all of the centers are organized according to the same general pattern. 
The "national" center differs from the "regional" centers chiefly in its com- 
mitment to carry on investigations of breeding and animal husbandry with 
respect to various species of primates. 
Although the overall characteristics of the primate centers have in general 
remained the same during the DRFR period, various administrative problems arose 
that are inevitable in any program still in the developmental stages. Some 
of them are local, requiring local solution by the center director and staff 
alone, or in cooperation with appropriate representatives of the host insti- 
tution, particularly with the "Principal Investigator." Some of the problems 
are such that their solution requires cooperative consideration and action 
between the center director and/or principal investigator on the one hand, 
and representatives of the DRFR staff administering the primate center program. 
The staff of DRFR's Animal Resources Branch remains continuously in touch with 
the directors of the centers in order to maintain an effective working relation 
ship, to be continuously aware of significant developments, to be in the best 
position to provide necessary administrative services, and to help resolve 
mutual problems when they arise. The ARB staff also arranges periodic site 
visits to each center by a group of knowledgeable consultants (usually the 
committee that initially reviews the applications.) Members of the staff 
arrange periodic meetings of the center directors to discuss problems requiring 
solution, and to encourage exchange of information between the centers. 
A number of these meetings of the center directors have been heldi/. Various 
subjects were discussed: high standards of animal care, workshops and symposia 
procurement of primates, primate holding facilities, fiscal relationships of 
center base grant to other grant support, accreditation of centers by American 
Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, cost-sharing, avail- 
ability of Federal excess property to the centers, usage of computers by 
centers, need for better communications to and from and between centers, "time 
and effort" requirements, the meaning of "regionality, " and the kind and amount 
of "commitments" NIH has made to support center development and operations. 
The following are examples of problems of special concern to the staff: 
(1) Outstanding is the problem of adequate financial support. The grants for 
establishment of the seven centers were not awarded at the same time and there- 
fore the construction of facilities and the beginning of program operations 
_1/ Meetings of the center directors were held October 11, 1963 (in Bethesda, 
Md.); July 1964 (Beaverton, Ore.); November 20, 1964 (Covington, La.); April 1, 
1965 (Bethesda, Md.); October 28, 1965 (Atlanta, Ga.); April 27, 1966 (Davis, 
Cal.); and November 13, 1966 (Southborough, Mass.). At other times Workshop 
meetings were held at Tulane University, New Orleans, La. ^ and at the national 
center, Davis, Cal. 
