Support the HEARTS Act

Did you know that at least 20 billion tax dollars EVERY YEAR fund US animal research even though there are increasingly more modern & effective methods that are often cheaper & can lead to better results?

Did you know that 92% of drugs fail in human trials even though they passed pre-clinical tests, including animal tests?

Thought not!

More needs to be done to ensure that humane and human-relevant methods are at the heart of the U.S. research investment. That’s why we are supporting the HEARTS Act (HR 1291).

Modern human-relevant methods include human epidemiological and clinical studies, cell-based methods, computer modelling and simulation, and human tissue studies. These options spare animal lives and advance science while more effectively protecting human health.  In a recent nationwide poll, 79% of voters said that the NIH should prioritize research proposals that utilize scientifically valid alternatives to animal testing.

So why not reevaluate our methods?

The HEARTS Act will prioritize the use of alternatives by amending the Public Health Services Act to:   

(1) establish incentives for investigators to use available non-animal methods whenever feasible and applicable.   

(2) create guidelines for biomedical and behavioral research to ensure that animal testing alternatives are utilized whenever available and appropriate in proposals.   

(3) ensure that proposal reviewers have access to a reference librarian with expertise in evaluating the adequacy of the search methods for alternatives described in the protocol.   

(4) require that proposals be reviewed by at least one person with expertise in non-animal research methods.   

(5) establish a center within the NIH to train and support scientists in the development and use of human-centered methods, and develop a plan for reducing the number of animals used in federally-funded research. 

Learn More about the HEARTS Act: View bill factsheet and FAQs here.