S. 2952Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

FDA Modernization Act of 2021

Sponsored by Rand PaulSen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
Introduced October 7, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 7:14 AM UTC

The FDA Modernization Act of 2021 amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to let drug manufacturers and sponsors use non‑animal testing methods when studying a drug’s safety and effectiveness. It replaces references to “animal” testing with the broader term “nonclinical tests or studies” and provides a definition of those tests. The changes affect pharmaceutical companies, the FDA’s review process, and the use of animal testing in drug development.

Key Provisions

  • Amends Section 505 of the FD&C Act to replace the word “animal” with “nonclinical tests or studies” in several subsections.
  • Adds a new subsection defining “nonclinical test or study” as any in‑vitro, in‑silico, in‑chemico, or in‑vivo test conducted before or during clinical trials, including cell‑based assays, organ‑chip systems, computer models, other non‑animal methods, and animal tests.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

October 7, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

October 7, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

October 7, 2021

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in SenateIssued October 7, 2021

II

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2952

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 7, 2021

Mr. Paul (for himself, Mr. Booker, Mr. Braun, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Luján) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow manufacturers and sponsors of a drug to use alternative testing methods to animal testing to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a drug, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the FDA Modernization Act of 2021.

2.

New approach methodologies

Section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (b)(5)(B)(i)(II), by striking animal and inserting nonclinical tests or studies;

(2)

in subsection (i)—

(A)

in paragraph (1)(A), by striking preclinical tests (including tests on animals) and inserting nonclinical tests; and

(B)

in paragraph (2)(B), by striking animal and inserting nonclinical tests or studies; and

(3)

after subsection (y), by inserting the following:

(z)

Nonclinical test or study defined

For purposes of this section, the term nonclinical test or study means a test or study conducted in vitro, in silico, in chemico, or in vivo that occurs before or during the clinical trial phase of the investigation of the safety and effectiveness of a drug, and may include the following:

(1)

Cell-based assays.

(2)

Organ chips and microphysiological systems.

(3)

Computer models.

(4)

Other non-animal or human biology-based test methods.

(5)

Animal tests.

.