British biotechnology outfit XCellR8 believes more work needs to be done to completely remove the use of animals from safety & efficacy testing, with the use of animal components raising both scientific and ethical concerns. Here, the company examines viable replacements for animal testing
Over the past 30 years, opposition to the use of animals to assess the safety of cosmetics has grown to become the default position not only in the cosmetics industry, but also significant sections of society.
For many, the key moment arrived on 11 March 2013 with the implementation of a full ban on animal testing in the European Union acting as culmination of years of consumer & industry demand, scientific advancement, regulatory validation, and political cooperation. It was hoped that this ban would lead the way in providing a framework for the replacement of animal tests in other regions globally and, in time, other industries.
Nearly a decade on, approximately 80% of countries still test cosmetic products on animals. Even within the EU, animal testing still takes place on cosmetic ingredients due to conflicting requirements between regulations.
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