An estimated 95% of drugs that pass animal trials ultimately fail in human trials, either because they prove unsafe or because they do not work as expected.
If animal testing is failing both animals and humans, why does it remain so deeply embedded in modern science?
In this episode of the Better Life for Animals Podcast, Cheryl Moss speaks with Meredith Blanchard, Senior Manager of Advocacy and Policy at the National Anti-Vivisection Society, about the continued use of animals in research and the growing movement toward human-based, non-animal testing methods.
Animal Testing Is Still Happening
Many people assume animal experimentation is largely a thing of the past. It is not.
Animals are still used in medical research, drug development, chemical testing, education, and classroom dissection. One of the challenges facing animal advocates is simply helping people understand how widespread animal use remains.
NAVS has worked since 1929 to end the use of animals in research, testing, and education. Its approach combines advocacy with policy work, public education, and support for scientists developing human-relevant research methods.
Why Animal Models Often Fail Humans
A mouse, dog, guinea pig, or nonhuman primate is biologically different from a human. A drug that appears safe or effective in another species may produce a completely different result in people.
Meredith discusses several major scientific concerns with animal testing, including low translatability, poor reproducibility, and the risk of false positives.
There is also another question that receives far less attention: How many potentially valuable treatments have been abandoned because they caused problems in animals but might have helped humans?
AI, Organoids, and Organ-on-a-Chip Technology
Science now has tools that previous generations of researchers could not have imagined.
Human-based research methods include artificial intelligence, computational modeling, organoids, and organ-on-a-chip technology.
These approaches can use human cells and human biological data to study diseases, evaluate drug toxicity, and predict how treatments may affect people.
The possibilities extend beyond replacing animal experiments. Human-based methods may eventually support more personalized medicine, including research that considers how an individual patient might respond to a specific treatment.
Why Science Is Slow to Change
If better options exist, why is the transition taking so long?
One major reason is institutional inertia.
Research institutions have spent decades building facilities, staffing systems, training programs, and funding structures around animal experimentation. Young scientists may enter their careers wanting to use non-animal methods but find themselves working within laboratories where animal models remain the established approach.
NAVS is working to change this through public policy, regulatory reform, education, and its Crossroads 2029 campaign. The campaign seeks to hold federal agencies accountable for commitments to reduce animal use and increase the adoption of non-animal research methods.
Students Are Asking Different Questions
Change is also happening in classrooms.
Through its BioLEAP program, NAVS helps schools and educators replace animal dissection with alternatives such as reusable models, virtual technology, paper models, and other humane learning tools.
These alternatives allow students to learn anatomy without cutting into animals. They also create opportunities for young people to question practices that previous generations were simply expected to accept.
How You Can Help Move Science Forward
Meredith encourages people to become informed, contact lawmakers, call legislative offices, meet with staff members when possible, and talk openly about animal experimentation.
Parents can ask schools about dissection alternatives. Students can request humane options. Future scientists can explore research methods based on human biology rather than animal models.
The movement away from animal experimentation is not only about protecting animals. It is also about asking whether science can do better.
As new human-based technologies continue to develop, the question is becoming increasingly urgent: If we have more humane and potentially more relevant ways to study human disease, how quickly are we willing to use them?
Episode Highlights
[00:00] Introduction
[02:00] Science does not have to harm animals
[05:00] How to end the use of animals for testing
[09:00] Evolving the model of testing to be harm free
[15:00] 95% failure rate with animal testing
[20:30] Moving to a more humane way of testing
[27:00] Change in animal testing is happening
[33:30] Legislation is essential
[37:30] Take action now
About Meredith Blanchard
Meredith Blanchard is the Director of Policy and Advocacy at the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS), where she focuses on advocating for alternatives to animal testing in research. With a background in animal welfare and public policy, she has previously worked at The Humane Society of the United States and the Animal Welfare Institute. Meredith holds a Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from Colorado State University. Her work aims to reduce and replace animal testing in scientific research, promoting a more humane approach to animal use in science.
Learn More
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About Cheryl Moss
Cheryl Moss is the host of the Better Life for Animals podcast, where she shares uplifting stories from sanctuaries and highlights the work of vegan activists, ethical consumers, and animal welfare leaders. She is also the founder of the Funding Blueprint for Sanctuaries summit, designed to empower those involved with sanctuaries to create sustainable funding streams.
A passionate advocate for animal welfare, Cheryl is dedicated to ending factory farming and supporting underrepresented sanctuaries.
Beyond podcasting, Cheryl is a banking professional and an accomplished children’s author. A graduate of Main Street Vegan Academy, she recently added Vystopia Transformation to her resume. The Vystopia work, created by psychologist Clare Mann, focuses on the emotional impact many people experience after becoming aware of animal suffering and exploitation. The training offers tools for resilience, communication, and emotional well-being while continuing to advocate for positive change.
Through her books, Gabriel, Cluck, and Pickle the Pig, Cheryl inspires young readers to embrace kindness, sustainability, and compassion for animals.
When not advocating, she enjoys Pilates and spending time with her rescue dogs and grandchildren. Through her work, writing, and activism, Cheryl continues to inspire positive change for animals and the planet.
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylmossabetterlifeforanimals/
