We highlight need for progress to be made law
We welcome the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) renewed and reinstated commitment to end toxicity testing on mammals by 2035, and to expand the use of non-animal methods.
Reinstating a clear deadline sends an important signal, in the United States and internationally, that the move to modern, non-animal regulatory science remains a priority.
The announcement comes amid growing global momentum to replace animal testing. In recent months, governments and agencies have taken steps in that direction, including:
- A new UK strategy which has time-bound commitments to advance the replacement of animal testing in key regulatory areas;
- The U.S. FDA’s roadmap to reduce animal testing in preclinical drug development;
- New U.S. National Institutes of Health initiatives (details here, here and here) to accelerate the development and use of human-based research models;
- A new EU ban on animal testing for detergents;
- Removal of the rabbit pyrogen test from EU and UK medicines standards; and
- Canada’s publication of a federal strategy to reduce vertebrate animal testing under chemicals legislation.
Together, these actions point to broader scientific and regulatory progress. However, many current strategies still rely on policy roadmaps and agency commitments that can change over time, rather than firm legal requirements, dedicated funding and transparent accountability. Without these elements, even well-intentioned deadlines and strategies risk remaining symbolic rather than delivering lasting change.
We have long emphasized that plans to phase out animal testing must include concrete targets, timelines and public reporting to deliver meaningful progress and maintain public trust, in the U.S., UK and around the world. We explored this more in our UK report, Creating A Cruelty Free Future.
As more governments signal their intention to move away from animal testing, these ambitions must now become clear commitments, and put into law.
In the United States, the Replace Animal Tests Act (H.R. 6660), introduced in December 2025, offers a crucial opportunity to turn policy goals into binding legal requirements. The bill would require regulators to mandate the use of approved non-animal methods whenever they are available, and stop accepting animal test data in those cases. It would also direct agencies to issue clear guidance, update regulations, and provide regular public reporting on the use of non-animal methods and animal testing. This would close a critical federal gap, as current U.S. law does not require the use of available non-animal methods, and does not track the number or purpose of the animal tests conducted.
Many of these outdated tests are already highlighted in our Replace Animal Tests (RAT) List, which identifies animal tests that continue to be used even where valid non-animal replacements exist.
Our Head of Public Affairs North America, Monica Engebretson, said: “The EPA’s recommitment to eliminating mammalian toxicity testing by 2035 is a most welcome step with global implications, setting a strong example for countries moving toward modern, non-animal regulatory science. This commitment aligns with – and underscores the need for – the Replace Animal Tests Act, which would accelerate the replacement of animal tests and embed this progress in law.”
If you are in the United States, you can support this transition by asking your Representative to become a co-sponsor of the Replace Animal Tests Act (H.R. 6660).
