HEARTS Act of 2025

This bill pushes NIH-funded research to use nonanimal methods first, when they are suitable and possible. It requires grant proposals to be checked by someone with expertise in nonanimal research methods, with support from a reference librarian to review searches for alternatives. It also sets up incentives and clear guidelines to encourage switching to humane, scientifically sound alternatives.

It creates a new National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing at NIH within one year. The Center will fund and promote human-focused methods like organoids, computer models, advanced imaging, and AI; help scientists get training and share resources; and collect and publish data on animal use, with a plan to reduce it over time . The bill also requires research entities that receive federal funding to report, within two years and then every two years, how many animals they use and acquire (by species) and to post plans to bring those numbers down. The Center must set a standard, public reporting process. “Animal” includes any live, nonhuman vertebrate or cephalopod used in research or testing. The findings note that many drugs that looked promising in animals later fail in people, and there’s little public data today on the number and types of animals used, which this bill aims to fix.

Key points

• Who is affected: NIH and researchers/entities with federally funded research and testing.
• What changes: Prioritize nonanimal methods; expert review of proposals; incentives and guidelines; new NIH center to fund, train, and share alternatives; public reporting of animal numbers and reduction plans .
• When: Center established within one year; first public reports due within two years, then updated every two years.