New EU Regulations Force Cosmetics Firms To Abandon Safety Tests In Animals

Main Category: Cosmetic Medicine / Plastic Surgery
Article Date: 14 May 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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New European Union (EU) regulations restricting use of animals to test the safety of shampoo, nail polish, and other personal care products are forcing cosmetic makers to seek alternative ways to test these products, according to an article scheduled for the May 11 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine.

C&EN senior correspondent Marc Reisch explains in the cover story that an EU regulation now restricts use of animal testing, and will totally ban it effective in 2013. "Its influence is far reaching because it will affect substances imported into the EU and because EU regulations are often adopted in other countries," the article notes.

As a result, cosmetic makers are evaluating safety with so-called in vitro or "test tube" testing, simulations of cosmetic effects with computers, and safety information in existing databases. Some manufacturers express concern because EU officials have not yet validated all of the new testing methods and worry that the regulations could stifle development of innovative cosmetic ingredients.

Source
American Chemical Society