FASEB Sends Letter to NIH Director on New Animal Research Policy

Monday, June 23, 2025
FASEB has submitted a letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jayanta “Jay” Bhattacharya, PhD, requesting additional stakeholder input on the new agency-wide initiative to reduce the use of animals in NIH-funded research. The initiative centers on the creation of the Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application (ORIVA), which aims to advance and coordinate the use of new alternative methods (NAMs). While FASEB supports expanding scientific capacity through validated NAMs, the letter cautions against prematurely replacing animal models given current technological limitations. FASEB urges NIH to ensure funding and review processes continue to prioritize science tailored to research aims and objectives, supporting both NAMs and necessary animal research.