Bipartisan Congressional Leaders Introduce FDA Modernization Act to Curb Use of Animals in Medical Testing
“The most predictive technologies in existence should be available to drug sponsors to provide the safest and most effective medicines for patients. Animal data shouldn’t be the automatic reflex if there are superior non-animal test methods that predict what will happen in human clinical trials.”
Today, Animal Wellness Action, the Center for a Humane Economy, the Michelson Center for Public Policy, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and other affiliated organizations applauded U.S. Senators Rand Paul, R-Ky. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., and John Kennedy, R-La. for introducing the FDA Modernization Act to eliminate a Depression-era requirement for animal testing for all new drug development protocols and to enable FDA to accept the most effective test methods, regardless of whether animals are used.
This bill is the companion to a bipartisan House bill, H.R. 2565, led by U.S. Reps. Vern Buchan, R-Fla., Elaine Luria, D-Virginia, Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., that seeks to spur innovation and open the door to the use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) with the goal of improving the science that is the basis for public health protection. The bill recognizes that scientific methods have advanced since its passage more than 80 years ago. The two leaders of the House subcommittee who orchestrate funding for most medical research in the United States – Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma are cosponsors of the legislation.
