BILL NUMBER: S3457
SPONSOR: GIANARIS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to human-relevant
research funding for scientific testing on animals; and to amend the
state finance law, in relation to establishing the promoting ethical
testing solutions fund
 
PURPOSE:
To establish the Promoting Ethical Testing Solutions Fund, allowing for
increased funding to discover new methods of non-animal product testing,
while discouraging live animal testing
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one: Provides the short title of the bill
Section two: Provides definitions, outlines the responsibilities of the
Promoting Ethical Testing Solutions Fund, establishes the privileges and
responsibilities assigned the corporation, institutes reporting require-
ments, and establishes fines
Section three: Establishes the Promoting Ethical Testing Solutions Fund
Section four: Establishes the effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Science is rapidly moving away from outdated and inaccurate animal tests
and toward human-based technologies. The National Institutes of Health
estimates that more than 90% of drugs fail in clinical trials after
extensive animal studies often due to unexpected toxicity or lack of
efficacy. However, research that is based on human biology is signif-
icantly more likely to give results predictive of human responses. These
technologies will continue to improve, while animal models will always
have massive constraints. Recognizing the importance of accurately eval-
uating the safety of drugs, chemicals, and other products, federal agen-
cies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug
Administration, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are pushing
for the development and use of modem human-based technology. These
technologies include "organs-on-chips" created from human cells on
microchips that are used to determine how human organs respond to
different drugs or chemicals, reconstructed skin and cornea models, and
sophisticated computer models.
New York has already acknowledged the value of non-animal science by
passing laws requiring the use of certain non-animal methods in 2008 and
prohibiting the sale of cosmetics that have been subjected to new animal
testing in 2022. New York should now take the opportunity to invest in
the development of the new technologies that will be used by the pharma-
ceutical, chemical, cosmetics, and medical device industries to evaluate
their products.
This legislation establishes the Promoting Ethical Testing Solutions
Fund within the New York State Urban Development Corporation to provide
grants for research and development of modem technologies that are based
on human biology without the use of live non-human animals. This fund is
paid for by a yearly contribution from animal research facilities in the
state. The funds collected will be used to provide grants to New York
scientists developing non-animal alternative methods. This structure is
based on one passed in 2023 in Maryland with the support of the labs
themselves.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2026.