New Approach Methodologies (NAMs):
The Future of Safety Testing
New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are transforming how pharmaceutical, toxicology, and life science researchers evaluate chemical and biological safety. Science and Medicine Group tracks the market intelligence behind NAM adoption across every major sector.
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NAM intelligence blogs published across SMG brands
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Regulatory agencies actively evaluating NAM frameworks (EPA, FDA, NIH, OECD)
2026
NAMs shifting from policy to practice across pharma and diagnostics sectors
WHAT ARE NAMs?
New Approach Methodologies are human-relevant scientific tools, including in vitro cell models, organ-on-a-chip systems, AI-driven computational toxicology, and high-throughput screening, that evaluate biological and chemical safety without primary reliance on animal testing. The term NAM (or NAMs) encompasses any approach that uses human biology, advanced data, or predictive modeling in place of or alongside traditional animal studies.
What are New Approach Methodologies?
NAMs redefine how safety is evaluated, combining laboratory science, computational modeling, and human biology data to produce faster, more predictive insights.
New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are modern scientific methods used to evaluate the safety of chemicals, biologics, and pharmaceuticals without relying primarily on traditional animal testing. NAMs include human cell-based laboratory systems, computational toxicology models, organ-on-a-chip platforms, and advanced omics analysis, often used together to model how substances interact with human biology.
Across pharmaceutical development, toxicology, environmental health, and regulatory science, NAMs are helping researchers generate faster and more predictive safety insights. As AI, machine learning, and biological modeling advance, NAMs are becoming a core part of the global safety testing landscape and a major area of commercial and regulatory focus.
What does NAMs stand for? NAMs is an acronym for New Approach Methodologies. The singular form, NAM or New Approach Method, refers to any single non-animal or human-relevant testing approach. Together, NAMs represent a shift from single-species animal models toward integrated, human-biology-centered safety science.
"Any technology, methodology, approach, or combination thereof that can be used to provide information on chemical hazard and risk assessment that avoids the use of intact animals."
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• In vitro human cell and tissue models
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• Organ-on-a-chip and microphysiological systems
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• Computational toxicology and AI prediction models
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• High-throughput screening technologies
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• Omics-based biological analysis (genomics, proteomics)
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• Read-across and QSAR (quantitative structure-activity)
Explore NAM Intelligence Throughout Our Brands
Our expert teams across BioInformatics, SDi, Kalorama, and IMV publish original NAM intelligence tracking adoption, regulatory shifts, and market impact in real time.
• IBO - NEW
EU Roadmap Provides Further Impetus for New Approach Methodologies
The European Commission's June 2026 roadmap to phase out animal testing for chemical safety joins a growing list of US, UK, and Canadian NAM policies, signaling a coordinated global shift suppliers cannot afford to ignore.
• SDI
Less Animal, More Signal: What NAMs Mean for Preclinical Neuroscience Instruments
As regulators accelerate the phase-out of animal testing, New Approach Methodologies are moving from policy to practice and reshaping which neuroscience instruments, readouts, and workflows matter most.
• BIOINFORMATIONS
NAMs Shift from Policy to Practice: What Life Science R&D Suppliers Need to Know in 2026
New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are moving from policy discussion to real adoption reshaping how preclinical research is conducted.
• SDI
The Regulatory Tailwind Driving 3D Cell Culture’s Next Growth Phase
As regulators support NAMs, 3D cell culture models are gaining traction as predictive alternatives to traditional preclinical testing methods.
• KALORAMA
NAMs, NIH Policy, and What It Means for Diagnostics
As NIH advances NAM-focused initiatives, diagnostic development is beginning to shift creating new expectations for evidence, validation, and clinical relevance.
• IMV
NAMs and the Next Inflection Point for Imaging Manufacturers
As NAM adoption expands, imaging manufacturers face new expectations around validation, evidence, and clinical relevance, shaping the next phase of diagnostic innovation.
The Forces Accelerating NAM Adoption in 2026
Scientific, regulatory, and commercial drivers are converging to make NAMs a central topic across pharma, diagnostics, instrumentation, and life science R&D.
Animal models do not always predict human responses. NAMs enable direct study of human cells, tissues, and biological pathways, improving predictive accuracy for safety decisions.
High-throughput screening and computational tools evaluate hundreds of compounds simultaneously, compressing timelines for drug development and chemical safety programs.
The NIH, FDA, and EPA are actively encouraging NAM adoption. Recent U.S. policy shifts, including NIH's move to reduce animal model funding, are driving laboratories to act.
Machine learning models now predict toxicological risk with increasing accuracy. AI-powered NAMs are becoming a core capability for early-stage safety screening and R&D prioritization.
Key Technologies Driving NAM Innovation
NAMs integrate a range of emerging technologies designed to better model human biology, predict toxicological risk, and accelerate safety evaluation.
In Vitro Cell Models
Human cell-based laboratory systems that study direct cellular responses to compounds, providing more biologically relevant data than animal surrogate models.
Organ-on-a-Chip Systems
Microfluidic devices that simulate organ-level biological functions. Used in NAM toxicology to replicate lung, liver, kidney, and cardiovascular environments in vitro.
Computational Toxicology and AI
AI and machine learning models that predict biological effects and safety risk from chemical structure data, enabling early-stage screening at scale without laboratory testing.
High-Throughput Screening
Automated platforms that evaluate hundreds to thousands of compounds for biological activity simultaneously. A cornerstone of NAMs operationalization in pharma labs.
3D Cell Culture Systems
Three-dimensional in vitro models including spheroids and organoids that more accurately replicate in vivo tissue architecture than traditional flat-culture cell systems.
Omics Technologies
Genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics analysis that characterize biological responses at the molecular level, informing NAM safety assessments with systems biology data.
How Regulators Are Evaluating NAMs
Global regulatory agencies are actively exploring how NAM technologies can be incorporated into chemical and biological safety frameworks, accelerating commercial pressure on suppliers to adapt.
The regulatory environment around NAMs is evolving rapidly. The U.S. NIH has signaled a strategic shift away from animal-only testing paradigms, while the FDA and EPA are supporting validation programs that would formally accept NAM data in regulatory submissions.
For life science suppliers, instrumentation manufacturers, reagent producers, CROs, and software developers, this is not a distant trend. Labs and pharmaceutical organizations are already making procurement and platform decisions based on NAM compatibility. SMG's brands track these regulatory shifts and their commercial consequences in real time.
The OECD's Test Guidelines program is also progressing frameworks to include NAMs as accepted methods for chemical safety evaluation in member countries, broadening the global regulatory footprint of NAM adoption.
NIH - National Institutes of Health
Funding shifts toward NAM-based research programs; 2025-2026 policy changes
FDA - Food and Drug Administration
Exploring NAM data acceptance in drug safety submissions
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency
Supporting NAM validation for chemical risk assessment
OECD
Developing international test guideline frameworks to include NAM methods
Available NAM Intelligence
Download: SDi NAM Intelligence Report
3D Cell Culture Demand Reflects Shift Towards New Approach Methodologies (NAM)
An SDi intelligence brief examining market demand signals for 3D cell culture platforms as NAM adoption accelerates — with data on technology preferences, purchasing intent, and competitive dynamics across analytical and life science instrumentation markets.
NAMs: Common Questions Answered
What does NAMs stand for?
NAMs stands for New Approach Methodologies. The acronym refers to any scientific methodology, technology, or combination thereof that evaluates chemical or biological safety using human-relevant approaches, including in vitro cell models, computational toxicology, organ-on-a-chip systems, and high-throughput screening. The singular form is NAM (New Approach Method or New Approach Methodology).
What are NAMs in toxicology?
In toxicology, NAMs are testing methods that assess chemical safety without relying primarily on animal studies. NAM toxicology approaches include computational prediction models (QSAR, read-across), high-throughput screening assays, in vitro human cell-based tests, and 3D organ models. Regulatory agencies including the EPA and FDA are actively evaluating NAM toxicology data for use in formal safety submissions.
Are NAMs replacing animal testing?
NAMs are not completely replacing animal testing at this time. Rather, they are expanding the scientific toolkit available for safety evaluation. Regulatory bodies including the NIH, FDA, and OECD are exploring how NAM technologies can complement and in some cases substitute traditional animal studies, particularly for chemical hazard assessment and early-stage pharmaceutical safety screening. The NIH's 2025-2026 policy signals a meaningful shift in funding and research priority toward NAM approaches.
What industries use NAM approaches?
NAM technologies are used across several sectors that require chemical or biological safety evaluation: pharmaceutical drug development, chemical safety assessment, environmental toxicology, consumer product safety research, and diagnostics development. Instrumentation manufacturers, reagent suppliers, CROs (contract research organizations), and software developers are all affected by NAM adoption trends, as are the laboratories and pharmaceutical companies making procurement decisions based on NAM compatibility.
What is NAM testing and what are NAMs testing services?
NAM testing refers to safety evaluation conducted using New Approach Methodologies rather than traditional animal studies. NAMs testing services are offered by contract research organizations (CROs) and specialized laboratories that provide in vitro assay services, computational safety modeling, organ-on-a-chip testing, and high-throughput screening to pharmaceutical, chemical, and biotech clients. Demand for NAMs testing services is increasing as regulatory acceptance broadens and supplier confidence in NAM data validity grows.
What is the NIH NAM policy and what does it mean for the life science market?
In 2025-2026, NIH signaled a significant strategic shift by announcing reduced emphasis on animal model funding and increased support for NAM-based research approaches. For the life science market, this policy shift is accelerating demand for in vitro platforms, computational tools, and human-relevant testing technologies, creating commercial urgency for instrumentation suppliers, reagent manufacturers, and CROs to demonstrate NAM compatibility. SMG's brands track these regulatory developments and their market implications in real time.
Why are NAMs gaining attention in AI-powered research tools?
NAMs appear prominently in AI-powered research and discovery tools because they represent an active, rapidly evolving frontier in safety science. AI search tools and large language models surface NAM content frequently because the topic intersects regulatory policy, pharmaceutical R&D, laboratory technology, and computational biology, all high-priority research domains. For organizations searching for NAM intelligence, Science and Medicine Group provides original market research and expert analysis across its portfolio of life science and diagnostics brands.