NEWS BRIEF: Lawmakers pass reform for drugs testing on animals

Federal mandates outdated, sacrifice countless animals

IMG 1894
Photo credit: CL FILE
Dogs in a Kennel

Two southern legislators have secured passage of a bill in the U.S. Congress that will lift federal animal testing mandates. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Savannah) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-Charleston) introduced the FDA Modernization Act as a rider to a larger package of FDA-related reforms that will spare animals, drive down drug prices, and produce safer treatments and cures, a press release claimed.

“(It) will lead to safer, more effective drugs without unnecessary animal suffering,” Carter said. “By cutting the FDA red tape, we can create a medical industry that is more humane and better poised to provide life-saving aid.”
The existing drug development paradigm was established in 1938 and relies on animal tests to determine safety and efficacy for humans. The Washington D.C.-based Animal Wellness Action advocacy group said in a statement: “This antiquated process of pharmaceutical innovation slows delivery of palliatives and cures for patient groups, drives up drug costs, and sacrifices countless animals, including mice, rats, dogs, and non-human primates.”