Top Prescription Drugs Developed Through Animal Research

Nearly every medication we rely on was made possible by animal research. From lifesaving treatments to everyday prescriptions, animal studies play a vital role in ensuring drug safety, effectiveness, and innovation.

Animal Research & Prescription Safety

Animal Research & Testing: The First Step Toward Safe Medicine

Behind nearly every prescription drug is a foundation of animal research and testing. Since the 1962 amendments to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the FDA has required animal research and testing to ensure drugs are safe before human trials begin. From understanding toxicology to determining safe dosages, animal research and testing is a legal and ethical necessity in the early stages of drug development.

Animal studies are critical to identifying risks, validating effectiveness, and building a case for clinical trials. This process protects both human and animal patients — including our pets, who also benefit from treatments developed through animal research and testing.

Trusted Treatments Backed by Research

Top 25 Prescription Drugs Made Possible by Animal Research

Rank	Drug	Drug Usage	Models
1	Atorvastatin	high cholesterol and triglyceride levels	dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, zebrafish, humans
2	Metformin	high blood sugar, anti-diabetic medication	cats, dogs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, frogs, humans
3	Levothyroxine	underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)	cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, horses, humans
4	Lisinopril	high blood pressure, heart failure	dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
5	Amlodipine	high blood pressure, chest pain	cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, humans
6	Metoprolol	high blood pressure, chest pain, heart failure	cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, rhesus monkeys, rabbits, frogs, humans
7	Albuterol	wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease	cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, zebrafish, humans
8	Losartan	high blood pressure	mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, sheep, humans
9	Omeprazole	heartburn, a damaged esophagus, stomach ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)	cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, zebrafish, humans
10	Gabapentin	prevent and control seizures, relieve nerve pain	dogs, hamsters, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
11	Sertraline	depression, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder, severe form of premenstrual syndrome	dogs, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
12	Hydrochlorothiazide	high blood pressure, fluid retention	dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, humans
13	Rosuvastatin	high cholesterol and triglycerides	dogs, mice, monkeys, rats, rabbits, humans
14	Montelukast	allergies, asthma	mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep, humans
15	Escitalopram	depression, anxiety	dogs, hamsters, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
16	Simvastatin	high cholesterol and triglyceride levels	dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, zebrafish, humans
17	Dextroamphetamine/Dextroamphetamine Saccharate/Amphetamine/Amphetamine Aspartate	ADHD, narcolepsy	mice, rats, rabbits, monkeys, chickens, cats, dogs, humans
18	Bupropion	depression	dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
19	Pantoprazole	gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), damaged esophagus	dogs, hamsters, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
20	Acetaminophen/Hydrocodone	pain	cats, dogs, hamsters, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, zebrafish, humans
21	Furosemide	"water pill," fluid retention from heart failure, liver disease and kidney disease, high blood pressure	cats, dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, pigs, rabbits, zebrafish, humans
22	Trazodone	depression	cats, dogs, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
23	Fluticasone	pain, itching, swelling, inflammation	guinea pigs, mice, rats, monkeys, rabbits, humans
24	Tamsulosin	enlarged prostate	mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, monkeys, dogs, humans
25	Fluoxetine	depression	mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, humans

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Source: ClinCalc DrugStats Database version 2024.01. Pulled from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) 2013-2021. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, Maryland.

References

Rank	Drug	Links
1	Atorvastatin	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/020702s056lbl.pdf
2	Metformin	https://www.bauschhealth.com/Portals/25/PDF/PI/Metformin-pi.pdf?ver=2019-11-13-141226-837 https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2006/021748s002lbl.pdf
3	Levothyroxine	https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6193522/
4	Lisinopril	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/019777s054lbl.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2016/208401Orig1s000PharmR.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/020702s056lbl.pdf https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1527-3466.1988.tb00375.x
5	Amlodipine	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/019787s037lbl.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2005/019787s038lbl.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/amlodipine https://www.pfizer.ca/sites/default/files/201710/GD-amlodipine_PM_E_210151_23Oct2017.pdf
6	Metoprolol	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2018/210428Orig1s000OtherR.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2008/019962s036lbl.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2018/210428Orig1s000PharmR.pdf http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/45/8/896 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6707925/
7	Albuterol	https://www.fda.gov/media/91986/download https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=498c7eff-645b-4a79-be12-afe9dbd5f3c4&type=display
8	Losartan	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2013/020386s058lbl.pdf https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/3961 http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/264/1/6
9	Omeprazole	https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146093/ https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2012/019810s096lbl.pdf https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11143926/ https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2006/021850s000_PharmR.pdf
10	Gabapentin	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/020235s036,020882s022,021129s022lbl.pdf https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304395909007180 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7600909/
11	Sertraline	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/019839s070,020990s032lbl.pdf https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sertraline#section=MeSH-Pharmacological-Classification https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4655145/ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-002-1034-1
12	Hydrochlorothiazide	https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9608878/ https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/040735s004,040770s003lbl.pdf https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/htdocs/lt_rpts/tr357.pdf?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=prod&utm_campaign=ntpgolinks&utm_term=tr357 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1584836/ https://www.rxlist.com/capozide-drug.htm#side_effects
13	Rosuvastatin	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2010/021366s016lbl.pdf
14	Montelukast	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/020829s051_020830s052_021409s028lbl.pdf https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12406819/
15	Escitalopram	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/021323s047lbl.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284117350_Effect_of_a_single_dose_of_escitalopram_on_serotonin_concentration_in_the_non-human_and_human_primate_brain
16	Simvastatin	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2008/019766s076lbl.pdf
17	Dextroamphetamine/Dextroamphetamine Saccharate/Amphetamine/Amphetamine Aspartate	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/011522s043lbl.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2007/021977s000_PharmToxR.pdf https://archives.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/monograph94.pdf
18	Bupropion	https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6406465/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1527-3458.2006.00178.x
19	Pantoprazole	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/209463s000lbl.pdf https://www.sunpharma.com/australia-pi-download/50515/Pantoprazole
20	Acetaminophen/Hydrocodone	https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6174210/ https://www.rxlist.com/vicodin-drug.htm#interactions
21	Furosemide	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/018667s036lbl.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2012/016273s066lbl.pdf
22	Trazodone	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/022411s008lbl.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/018207s032lbl.pdf https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00030282.PDF
23	Fluticasone	https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Fluticasone#section=Clinical-Laboratory-Methods https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/pediatric/Fluticasone-Flonase.pdf http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/284/1/222.abstract https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/2014/205434Orig1s000PharmR.pdf https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(14)03430-7/pdf
24	Tamsulosin	https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00706 https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/datasheet/t/tamsulosincaps.pdf https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/97/020579ap.pdf
25	Fluoxetine	https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/018936s108lbl.pdf

The Animals Behind Today’s Top Prescription Drugs

Animal Research & Testing: The First Step Toward Safe Medicine

Top 25 Prescription Drugs Made Possible by Animal Research

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References

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