How Many Cosmetic Companies Use Animal Testing

Animal Testing & Cosmetics

Consumers and manufacturers sometimes ask about the utilize of animals for testing cosmetics. The post-obit data addresses the legal requirement for corrective safety and FDA policy on developing alternative methods.

FDA is responsible for assuring that cosmetics are safe and properly labeled. This mission is accomplished through enforcement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), related statutes, and regulations promulgated under these laws.

The FD&C Act does non specifically require the utilise of animals in testing cosmetics for safety, nor does the Human activity field of study cosmetics to FDA premarket blessing. However, the agency has consistently brash cosmetic manufacturers to apply whatever testing is appropriate and effective for substantiating the rubber of their products. It remains the responsibleness of the manufacturer to substantiate the safety of both ingredients and finished corrective products prior to marketing.

Animal testing by manufacturers seeking to market new products may be used to constitute product safe. In some cases, after considering bachelor alternatives, companies may make up one's mind that fauna testing is necessary to assure the safety of a product or ingredient. FDA supports and adheres to the provisions of applicative laws, regulations, and policies governing fauna testing, including the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service Policy of Humane Care and Apply of Laboratory Animals. Moreover, in all cases where animal testing is used, FDA advocates that research and testing derive the maximum amount of useful scientific data from the minimum number of animals and use the nearly humane methods available within the limits of scientific adequacy.

We also believe that prior to use of animals, consideration should be given to the utilize of scientifically valid alternative methods to whole-animal testing. In 1997, FDA joined with thirteen other Federal agencies in forming the Interagency Analogous Commission on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM). ICCVAM and its supporting centre, the National Toxicology Program Interagency Eye for the Evaluation of Culling Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), coordinate the development, validation, acceptance, and harmonization of alternative toxicological examination methods throughout the U.Due south. Federal Government. To learn more, visit the ICCVAM and NICEATM websites.

FDA supports the evolution and utilize of alternatives to whole-animal testing as well as adherence to the most humane methods available within the limits of scientific capability when animals are used for testing the safety of cosmetic products. Nosotros will continue to be a stiff advocate of methodologies for the refinement, reduction, and replacement of creature tests with alternative methodologies that do not employ the utilise of animals.

More than Resources from FDA:

"Cruelty Free-Not Tested on Animals" Characterization Claims
FDA Authorisation Over Cosmetics

Resources from Other U.S. Government Agencies:

Animal Welfare Act
National Toxicology Program--Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Test Methods (NTP-ICCVAM)
Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Utilise of Laboratory Animals

Resource from the International Cooperation on Cosmetics Regulation (ICCR):

ICCR reports on nanotechnology, trace contaminants, rubber assessment, and alternatives to creature testing: By clicking on this link, you will be leaving the FDA.GOV website and going to the ICCR website, where you will discover the reports on these topics.