Letter: New methods better than animal testing

Kudos to Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi for co-sponsoring the FDA Modernization Act of 2021, a bill to allow the use of 21st Century test methods for new drugs before they go to market.

Data show that animal tests are unreliable predictors of the human response to drugs. Between 90% and 95% of drugs found safe in nonclinical tests fail during human clinical trials due to toxicities not predicted by traditional animal tests or lack of efficacy. Yet, the FDA requires animal testing even if there are super non-animal methods.

Human-relevant cell-based assays, organs-on-a-chip, human-on-a-chip (microphysiological systems), and computer modeling have been developed to more accurately predict human response to new drugs.

It's time to tweak the Food Drug and Cosmetics Act to provide drug sponsors more options for testing the safety and efficacy of drugs to improve clinical trial attrition rates, cut time to market in half, and substantially reduce research and development costs that could cut drug prices fivefold.

Tamara Drake, Director of Research and Regulatory Policy

Center for a Humane Economy