The U.S. House has approved the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, which would end the animal testing requirement for new drugs and biosimilars. The bill doesn’t completely ban testing on animals but enables drug developers to use alternatives when feasible. In September, the U.S. Senate passed the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, S.5002. The new policy, known as the…
Q&A: What the transition away from animal testing could mean for drug discovery
In September, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, which would lift an 84-year-old federal mandate for animal testing for toxicity studies. While the bill doesn’t ban animal testing outright, it would allow drug developers to use alternatives when feasible. The Senate has sent the bill, also known as S. 5002, to…
FDA Modernization Act to end animal testing requirement passes U.S. Senate
Today, the U.S. Senate passed the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, S.5002, without dissent. Introduced by Senators Dr. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), the bill, if enacted, could curb animal testing in the coming years. A total of 10 other cosponsors backed the bill, which would end the mandate to test new drugs and…
Drug discovery evolves: Jump-starting the transition from animal models to human preclinical models
Animal models, long the basis of academic research and preclinical drug discovery, continue to play an important role in advancing our understanding of basic pharmacology and bringing critical therapies to those in need. However, animal models have some natural drawbacks (e.g., not being humans) that hamper their ability to fully predict the interaction of new…
When can computer models replace animal trials?
The pandemic has forced a rethink of clinical research, but the pharma industry continues to rely on animal testing. While pundits have observed that computer modeling and techniques such as microdosing can reduce animal testing, animal testing continues to be integral in preclinical studies. But computer models are now sufficiently accurate to predict many drugs’ response, said…