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Physicians Committee Presses the NIH to Phase Out Primates in Infectious Disease Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced a promising new initiative aimed at transitioning away from animal-based research toward more human-relevant scientific approaches. In response, the Physicians Committee submitted a public comment to a meeting of the National Advisory Council on Aging, urging the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to incorporate public input into its priority-setting processes and to commit to and accelerate the shift away from animal testing.
Every five years, each institute within the NIH outlines its research goals and priorities in a document known as the “Strategic Directions for Research.” The NIA, along with other NIH agencies, is currently developing its Strategic Directions for Research for the 2026–2030 period. The NIA had previously invited public input on the proposed outline for the document, but this was paused during the change in administration. It is vital that the public has the opportunity to weigh in on the priorities set by the NIH, and we look forward to a resumption of public comments on Strategic Research Directions.
In our public comment to the National Advisory Council on Aging we:
- Urged the NIA to reopen public feedback in their priority setting.
- Recommended that the NIA Strategic Directions for Research, 2026-2030 document prioritize human-centered aging research, including research involving human subjects and the use of new approach methodologies (NAMs).
- Encouraged the 2026-2030 document clarify the limitations of animal-based approaches in their ability to model human biology and translate to clinically effective interventions and prevention strategies.
Amid a broader, agency-wide shift toward more human-relevant science, as emphasized in recent NIH initiatives, the Physicians Committee remains committed to supporting and accelerating this important transition by working collaboratively with all NIH Institutes and Centers.
