Last week, something remarkable happened: The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, a critical bill that pushes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finally align its regulations with modern, human-relevant science—and move away from animal testing requirements.  

For animals trapped in laboratories across the country, this vote represents real progress. And for advocates who have spent years pushing for science that doesn’t rely on suffering, it’s a powerful affirmation that change is possible. 

This Victory Didn’t Happen by Accident

Earlier this year, more than 10,000 of Rise for Animals’ supporters took action urging Congress to hold the FDA accountable for ignoring the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, which passed in 2022 and explicitly removed animal testing as a legal requirement for human drugs and vaccines. Despite that directive, the FDA has continued to treat animal tests as the “gold standard”—even while acknowledging publicly that animal models are poor predictors of human outcomes. The result? A system that fails both people and animals. 

Our supporters’ advocacy mattered. Lawmakers listened. And now, the Senate has taken a decisive step toward ending the FDA’s regulatory reliance on animal experimentation. 

Why the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 Is an Important Win

The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 is designed to do what the FDA has so far refused to do on its own: update its regulations to reflect current law and current science. 

If fully enacted and implemented, the legislation will:

• Eliminate outdated animal testing mandates in FDA regulations; 
• Facilitate the development, qualification, and adoption of non-animal testing methods; and
• Help accelerate safer, more predictive science for people. 

This is about ethics and effectiveness. More than 95% of drugs that pass animal tests ultimately fail in human trials, often due to safety issues or lack of efficacy that animal studies failed to predict. Continuing to prioritize animal testing isn’t just cruel—it’s scientifically indefensible. 

This is a Victory—But We Have More Work to Do

While the Senate vote is a major milestone, it is not the end of the road. The bill must still pass the House of Representatives. And even once enacted, strong, sustained advocacy will be essential to ensure the FDA actually implements the law, rather than quietly maintaining the status quo. 

Advocacy victories don’t sustain themselves. Industries with billions of dollars at stake don’t step aside willingly. That’s why continued pressure, public accountability, and investigative work remain essential.

How Our Supporters Make Change for Animals Possible

Rise for Animals exists to challenge the animal research industry at every level—legal, political, cultural, and scientific. Support from our community fuels: 

• Nonstop advocacy to get animal-saving laws across the finish line; 
• Pressure campaigns to force compliance—not symbolic reform; 
• Investigations and reporting that dismantle the animal research industry’s propaganda and lobby; and
• Care for animals who make it out of laboratories and into sanctuaries or loving homes. 

You Can Help Us Finish What We Started

As the FDA Modernization Act 3.0 moves forward, animals in laboratories are counting on advocates like you to keep the pressure on. If you believe in a future where research no longer depends on exploitation and suffering—and where science truly serves both people and animals—we invite you to stand with us.

Right now, all donations are matched dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000 through the end of the year, doubling the impact of every gift for animals and better science. 

Donate Now and Get Matched