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Nonetheless, some researchers maintain that newer technologies should be used to complement rather than replace animal models. In their view, animal research remains important for understanding complex biological interactions that are affected by illnesses and diseases and, therefore, is essential for science and drug discovery.

For instance, Americans for Medical Progress, a nonprofit advocacy group that supports the use of animal testing in biomedical research, objected for several reasons, such as what it called a “rapid” 180-day negotiating period and “inconsistency” with the intent of Congress and the NIH. The group cited a 2024 report from the NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs projecting increasing demand for nonhuman primates through at least 2028.

“As discussions move forward, it will be essential that the perspectives of the scientific and veterinary communities are included alongside advocacy viewpoints so that decisions reflect both animal welfare realities and the nation’s biomedical research needs,” the group wrote in a statement.

“Modernizing research through non-animal models is important, but changes to nationally supported infrastructure must be grounded in evidence, expertise, and a clear understanding of what alternatives can and cannot currently replace.”

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Ed Silverman, STAT