The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to phase out animal testing in the development of certain drugs, replacing it with more humane and efficient methods. Starting immediately, the agency will encourage pharmaceutical companies to use alternative approaches, such as AI-based models and human-relevant data, for drug trials.
These new methods aim to improve safety, reduce research costs, and lower prices. The FDA Commissioner says this shift marks a “paradigm shift” in drug evaluation, which could accelerate cures and treatments for Americans while minimizing animal use.
However, the National Association for Biomedical Research notes that AI is not yet a full replacement for animal models, as it relies on existing data and may not fully capture unknown variables. The FDA will begin implementing these new approaches immediately, with plans to launch a pilot program next year for select antibody-based drug developers.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-fda-phase-out-animal-testing-drug-development-2025-04-10