Administrator Zeldin says EPA is back on track to eliminate animal testing by 2035

Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the EPA will recommit to eliminating mammalian animal testing by 2035 and to prioritizing New Approach Methods; the agency reported recent reductions in lab animals and use of alternatives in certain chemical evaluations.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency is recommitting to the goal of eliminating mammalian animal testing by 2035. The article reports the Biden administration canceled EPA phase-out deadlines, which the piece says delayed development of alternative testing methods. Zeldin and the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention plan to prioritize New Approach Methods (NAMs) and align testing with statutory requirements and scientific standards. The article places this announcement in the context of work begun during the first Trump Administration. Key points: - Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a recommitment to the 2035 goal to end mammalian animal testing. - The article states the Biden administration canceled EPA animal testing phase-out deadlines. - EPA implemented a lab animal adoption program in April 2025 and reports rodents in OASES care fell from 466 in April 2025 to 41 by mid-November. - The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics used alternative scientific methods in cancer evaluations for dibutyl phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, which the article says spared an estimated 1,600 mice and rats. - EPA developed a non-animal testing framework for identifying skin irritation and corrosion hazards that indicates a preference for alternatives to rabbit testing. - The article defines New Approach Methods (NAMs) as in vitro, in chemico, and in silico approaches and notes the 2016 TSCA amendments call for developing methods that reduce vertebrate animal use. Summary: The agency says it will prioritize developing and incorporating NAMs and will work with other government agencies, researchers, and advocates to validate and use alternative methods. The article reports recent internal changes, including an adoption program and reduced numbers of animals in agency care, and cites specific instances where NAMs were used in chemical evaluations. How these plans will affect broader regulatory practice and timelines will unfold as the agency advances its stated strategy.