The pharmaceutical industry is caught in statutory headlock by the Congress. In 1938, the Congress required that drug developers conduct animal testing before the drug can go to human clinical trials. The problem is, the animal tests have proved to be very poor predictors of the human response to drugs. What’s more, there has been enormous innovation in testing strategies, mainly with human cells and tissue. But the law doesn’t allow the companies to opt for the best science. They are stuck in the mud of the Depression era.


Read how revising FDA testing mandates will spare animals and save human lives

The Center is promoting the FDA Modernization Act to allow FDA to work with drug developers to choose the best scientific means of testing, so that safer drugs get to patients faster and that we don’t cause the torment of so many animals. The drug developers have never been more in the news with their work on vaccines, which came out in record time because the federal government, while still requiring animal testing, allowed clinical trials to move forward before the animal tests were completed.

Will Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies be allowed to bring the same urgency to help patients with other medical needs. Will Pfizer help us get this new policy enacted in Congress? It’s certainly good for the animals, but it’s good for business too.

Why wouldn’t Pfizer want to be able to use the most scientifically rigorous testing methods, including methods that don’t involve the use of animals at all?

The FDA Modernization Act is about putting 21st century science to work for 21st century medical problems.