Use of Animal Rule Discussed in Revised FDA Guidance
FDA typically requires safety and efficacy to be demonstrated in humans, but there are times when exposure of humans to toxic therapeutic substances may be impractical and ethically impossible (e.g., antidote for nerve gas treatment, nuclear threat, biological, chemical or substance that would otherwise causea life-threating condition or poisoning [e.g., snake venom, virus, industrial chemicals]). The FDA has released a newly revised update to its previously issued 2009 Guidance on this topic.