Washington, D.C. — On July 11, Americans for Medical Progress (AMP) submitted comments to the FDA and NIH in response to their recent joint workshop on “Reducing Animal Testing.” While we support efforts to advance scientifically validated New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), AMP emphasized the need for greater clarity, transparency, and stakeholder engagement as policy shifts begin to take shape.

During the workshop, NIH announced it is building on its previously stated commitment—first outlined in April—to prioritize human-relevant research approaches. While we appreciate this update and NIH’s swift actions to ensure funding opportunities reflect the full spectrum of modern scientific tools, the announcement raises numerous questions about implementation, the peer review process, and how these changes may affect basic science research.

AMP’s comments focus on three core recommendations:

1. Clarify recent policy updates and collect public input for future changes;

2. Prioritize stakeholder engagement and transparency to achieve meaningful culture change; and

3. Ensure peer review changes do not introduce new biases that could hinder biomedical progress

Read our full submission here.

AMP remains committed to ensuring that both animal and non-animal research tools are supported and evaluated based on scientific merit and real-world utility.