Animal Cosmetic Testing

The what and why of testing products on animals.

Transcript

1. Animal Cosmetic Testing
2. Overview What? Why? Other options
3. What is it? The use of animals to determine whether a product (such as makeup or a skincare product) is safe for use by humans. Regulated by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. No requirement for animal testing of cosmetics.
4. Why? In the 1940s, people experienced serious injuries from unsafe beauty products. Animal testing was a way to make those products safer. Now, it’s not needed as much. There’s no requirement to test ingredients “generally recognized as safe,” which make up the majority of ingredients in today’s cosmetics.
5. Why? Companies still perform animal testing today as a legal safeguard. They can use evidence of animal tests as proof of “due diligence.” That is, they can use the tests to show that they tried to make their products safe. This evidence would help them in a lawsuit.
6. Why? Even if a product is “generally recognized as safe,” some individuals may still be sensitive to it (young children, older people, or people with allergies, for example.) Animal testing helps model these scenarios.
7. Other Options The “3 R’s”: Replace Reduce Refine
8. Replace Fully approved alternative. Does not use live animals. In vitro (test tubes), ex-vitro (isolated tissues), in silico (on a computer).
9. Reduce Fewer animals used.
10. Refine Decreases animal suffering.
11. Sources https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/product-testing-cosmetics/animal-testing- cosmetics https://www.navs.org/the-issues/animals-used-in-cosmetics-testing/#.XpHM wS2ZPOS https://www.navs.org/what-we-do/keep-you-informed/science-corner/alt ernatives/alternatives-to-animal-testing/#.XpHNPS2ZPOQ
12. Thank you!