NIH launches Office of Research Innovation to cut animal testing

The National Institutes of Health announced a new Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application (ORIVA). ORIVA’s mission is to lower reliance on animal‑based experiments. The office will promote testing methods that more accurately reflect human biology. NIH hopes the initiative will accelerate biomedical discoveries while addressing ethical concerns. Funding will be allocated for developing alternative technologies. The launch follows growing pressure from scientists and animal‑rights groups. ORIVA will coordinate across NIH institutes to implement the new strategies.

It signals a major shift toward more humane and potentially more predictive research methods.