Why Animal-Based ECMs Have No Place in the Future of 3D Cell Models
In 2025, the FDA and NIH initiated a major push to phase out animal testing, promoting New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) like organoids and AI models. However, a significant contradiction undermines this goal: many of these advanced systems are cultivated in animal-derived extracellular matrices (ECMs).
Dr. John Huang from theWell Bioscience published an article discussing about how this reliance on animal products creates serious ethical, scientific, and technical problems.