FDA’s replacement for animal testing; slow and steady wins the walk; equitable access to digital health tools – Morning Medical Update

Author(s):

Austin Littrell

Key Takeaways

The FDA is moving towards AI and human models for drug testing, potentially reducing costs and animal use.
A study suggests slower walking speeds may lead to greater fat loss in postmenopausal women.
Digital health tools can improve heart health, but socioeconomic barriers must be addressed for equitable access.

The top news stories in medicine today.

FDA to replace animal testing with AI and lab-grown human models

The FDA plans to modernize drug development by phasing out animal testing requirements for monoclonal antibodies and other therapies, instead promoting artificial intelligence (AI) models, human “organoids,” and real-world safety data from other countries. Announced Thursday, the new roadmap allows drugmakers to use these alternative methods in investigational new drug (IND) applications and outlines regulatory incentives for doing so. FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, MD, MPH, called the shift a “paradigm” change that could lower R&D costs, speed up approvals, and spare thousands of animals from testing each year. A pilot program and public workshop are planned for later this year to support implementation and stakeholder input.

Slow and steady wins the walk

A recent study published in Nutrients found that postmenopausal women who walked at a slower pace (about 3.2 mph) lost nearly three times more fat than faster walkers over a 30-week period. The slower walkers also saw more consistent fat loss throughout the study, while faster walkers didn’t see significant results until the end. Researchers believe slower speeds may encourage fat-burning over glucose use — but more research is needed to fully understand the link. Women’s Health has more.

Digital health tools support heart health — not everybody has access

Wearables, apps, and telehealth platforms show promise for promoting heart-healthy habits, but people affected by poverty, limited internet access, and other social drivers of health face major barriers to using them, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement. Published in Circulation, the report highlights how digital tools can help with physical activity, diet, sleep, and smoking cessation — but only if issues like affordability, literacy, language, and cultural fit are addressed to ensure equitable cardiovascular health outcomes.