Washington, DC – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01), a member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, was joined by Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) in sending a letter to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D. requesting that the FDA develop and release Guidance for Industry on alternatives to animal testing.

“In recent years, concerns have been raised about the use of thousands of dogs annually in painful and deadly tests undertaken for FDA approval of human drugs and medical devices,” the Members wrote. “To eliminate unnecessary government-mandated animal testing and facilitate greater use of modern alternative methods, we request that the FDA develop and release Guidance for Industry on how alternatives to animal testing can be used to meet regulatory requirements. Furthermore, we ask the FDA to detail a transparent process by which sponsors can engage with the Agency on this issue and gain approval for non-animal testing methods.”

“Drug makers and taxpayer-funded federal agencies should not be forced to waste time and money to poison, de-bark and kill puppies in outdated tests when more efficient and cost-effective alternatives are available. We applaud Rep. Titus for leading efforts to cut FDA’s animal testing red tape and make it easier for companies and government agencies to avoid wasteful animal experiments,” said Justin Goodman, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy, White Coat Waste Project.

Background

Every year countless animals, including thousands of dogs and puppies, are used in painful and deadly toxicity tests performed to earn FDA approval for new drugs and medical devices. Some of these cruel and unnecessary tests have been funded by taxpayers.

The NIH reports that 90 percent of drugs that pass these animal tests fail in human trials because they are toxic or ineffective. Studies show that modern non-animal drug testing methods like organs-on-chips are more effective, economical, and humane.

Allowing the pharmaceutical industry and government agencies to utilize high-tech alternatives to wasteful and inhumane animal tests will save time, money, and animals’ lives. It will also expedite drug development and lower pharmaceutical R&D costs.

In addition to Reps. Titus and Mast, this letter was signed by 11 members of Congress including Reps. Holmes Norton (D-DC), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Malliotakis (R-NY), Sires (D-NJ), Newman (D-IL), Stansbury (D-NM), Posey (R-FL), Dean (D-PA), Grijalva (D-AZ), Pocan (D-WI), and Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and was endorsed by the White Coat Waste Project.

Congresswoman Titus also introduced the Planning for Animal Wellness (PAW) Act which directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish an advisory group of outside experts who will align FEMA guidance to match current best practices in animal care for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. This bill was passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee this month with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Congresswoman Titus has a long history of fighting for animal welfare in Congress and will continue to prioritize their safety.

Read today’s full letter here.

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