The US President has been commended by animal advocacy groups for the US government’s move to reduce the use of animals in medical research. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have announced plans to phase out animal testing, with the FDA adopting lab-grown organoids and artificial intelligence (AI) as alternatives.
A Significance Step for Animal Welfare
Animal welfare groups have hailed the move as a significant step towards ending the use of animals in medical research. Kathy Guillermo, senior vice president of PETA, has stated that the FDA’s decision to stop harming animals and adopt human-relevant testing strategies is a significant step forward.
- PETA applauds the FDA’s decision to end animal testing and adopt modern, humane alternatives
- Guillermo praises the FDA’s adoption of lab-grown human organoids and AI-based modelling as alternatives to animal testing
- Guillermo also urges a broader commitment to end all government-funded animal experiments, including those on monkeys at primate research centres
The FDA’s Approach to Animal Testing
The FDA has announced plans to replace animal tests with tools such as lab-grown human organoids and AI-based modelling. According to the agency, these approaches could lead to safer treatments, faster drug approvals, and lower costs — all while reducing harm to animals.
| Approach | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Lab-grown human organoids | Safer treatments, faster drug approvals, lower costs, reduced harm to animals |
| AI-based modelling | Safer treatments, faster drug approvals, lower costs, reduced harm to animals |
The EPA’s Commitment to Animal Welfare
The EPA has also announced plans to reinstate a 2019 Trump-era directive to eliminate animal testing at the EPA by 2035. The agency has promised to bring the US back on track with its commitment to animal welfare.
Challenges in Reducing Animal Testing
Despite the progress made, animal welfare groups have warned that animal testing remains necessary in some areas of drug development where technology cannot yet replicate complex biological responses.
“The use of animals in biomedical research is not a straightforward issue. While we have made significant progress in reducing animal testing, there are still areas where technology cannot yet replicate complex biological responses, and animal testing remains necessary.”
Trump’s Earlier Stance on Animal Testing
US President Donald Trump had earlier mentioned that taxpayer money was being wasted on unnecessary research. During an address to Congress in March, the president said government had spent $8 million on “making mice transgender.”
According to a report from the White Coat Waste Project, the watchdog group opposing government-funded animal testing, which claimed that over $10 million in taxpayer money had been “wasted” on studies involving transgender mice, rats, and monkeys in university labs.
Alternatives to Animal Testing
The use of lab-grown human organoids and AI-based modelling as alternatives to animal testing has been hailed as a significant step forward in reducing animal suffering.
Lab-Grown Human Organoids
Lab-grown human organoids are created by growing human cells in a laboratory dish. These organoids can be used to test the safety and efficacy of new treatments, and can also be used to model complex biological responses.
- Lab-grown human organoids can be used to test the safety and efficacy of new treatments
- Lab-grown human organoids can be used to model complex biological responses
- Lab-grown human organoids are a more humane alternative to animal testing
AI-Based Modelling
AI-based modelling uses artificial intelligence to simulate complex biological responses. This approach can be used to test the safety and efficacy of new treatments, and can also be used to model complex biological responses.
- AI-based modelling uses artificial intelligence to simulate complex biological responses
- AI-based modelling can be used to test the safety and efficacy of new treatments
- AI-based modelling is a more humane alternative to animal testing
Conclusion
The use of lab-grown human organoids and AI-based modelling as alternatives to animal testing has been hailed as a significant step forward in reducing animal suffering. While challenges remain, the progress made by the FDA and the EPA is a positive step towards ending the use of animals in medical research.
