WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, celebrated House passage of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 by unanimous consent, a bill directing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fully implement provisions reducing unnecessary animal testing in drug development and research. Buchanan previously joined Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.) in introducing the legislation.
Each year in the United States, millions of animals, including an estimated 50,000 dogs, are used in laboratory experiments and testing. This bill require the FDA to fully implement the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, ensuring that safe and effective treatments are developed using advanced, non-animal testing methods. It phases out animal testing through rules that replace archaic animal testing requirements in favor of modern, humane nonclinical testing methods. This gives dogs traditionally used in labs, including the 1,500 beagles recently rescued in Wisconsin, the opportunity to leave research facilities and find caring homes.
“Patients deserve access to the most advanced medical technology available,” said Buchanan. “The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 ensures that drug testing reflects today’s science, bringing promising treatments to families faster without relying on unnecessary animal testing. “As Chairman of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and author of the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, I am proud to see this bill build on that work.”
“This bill will transform drug development for the 21st century,” said Carter. “By requiring full implementation of the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, this legislation ensures that developers use innovative, more effective testing methods throughout drug development, rather than relying on outdated and inhumane animal tests. It’s a win for patients, a win for innovation and a win for animal welfare. I’m proud to champion this bipartisan measure to accelerate safer, more humane and more effective medical breakthroughs.”
“Today’s floor vote is another important step toward modernizing how we bring safe and effective drugs to market,” said Harshbarger. “The FDA has the authority to move beyond outdated, cruel testing methods and our bill simply directs the FDA to follow through and update its regulations accordingly. I’m proud to work alongside Congressman Buddy Carter and my colleagues to keep this bipartisan effort moving forward.”
Buchanan, who co-chairs the Animal Protection Caucus in Congress, is a leading advocate for ending animal testing. He previously authored the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, which was signed into law in 2022 and removed an 80-year-old requirement that forced pharmaceutical companies to use animal testing to prove a drug’s safety and efficacy.
###
