Possible alternatives to animal testing

In 1937, an American drug company introduced an elixir to treat strep throat - and unwittingly set off a public health disaster. The product, which had not been tested in humans or animals, contained a solvent that turned out to be toxic. More than 100 people died.

The following year, the US Congress passed the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Safety Act, requiring pharmaceutical companies to submit safety data to the US Food and Drug Administration before selling new medications, helping to usher in an era of animal toxicity testing.

Now, a new chapter in drug development may be beginning. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0, signed into law late last year, allows drug makers to collect initial safety and efficacy data using high-tech new tools instead of animals. Other countries are making similar shifts. In 2021, the European Parliament called for a plan to phase out...