Progress Toward Replacing Animals in Toxicity Testing for Cosmetics

In the 1980’s, animal rights activists successfully motivated the cosmetic industry to begin researching alternatives to animal tests. The European Union has taken action to stimulate development and validation of alternatives to animal testing through the Sixth and Seventh Amendments to the Cosmetics Directive. In this paper, I will briefly describe the history of the search for alternatives to animal testing for cosmetics. I will then discuss the progress that has been made toward developing and validating replacement alternatives in the eleven toxicological safety testing areas; alternatives are needed in all eleven areas in order for animal tests to be totally replaced

How Can the Final Goal of Completely Replacing Animal Procedures Successfully Be Achieved?

Article 23 of European Union (EU) Directive 86/609/EEC required that Member States promote the development and validation of alternative technologies and stated that the European Commission (EC) “shall report before the end of 1987 on the possibility of modifying tests and guidelines” (European Parliament, 1986, Article 23). This Directive was replaced by Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, which now requires that Member States develop and validate alternative approaches much more precisely and specifies that the ultimate objective is the “full replacement of procedures on live animals for scientific and educational purposes, as soon as it is scientifically possible to do so” (European Parliament, 2010, Recital 10). However, having followed the initiatives of Member States for more than 30 years, we see that developments to replace animal experiments occur more by accident than by design. Directive 2010/63/EU has not changed this either. This chapter explores the reasons why the development and approval of animal-free methods are not advancing more quickly, and why the numbers of animals used is not declining despite the development of new methods. Undoubtedly, there are complex, multifactorial reasons behind this. Our analysis leads us to the heart of the matter. There is no master plan and there are no responsible project managers who effectively pursue the objectives of Directive 2010/63/EU at a national or EU level

Cruel to Be Unkind

Overall, the goal of my campaign is to educate but I tried to put the focus on the facts rather than demanding anything from the viewers. Companies such as PETA often turn viewers away with their demanding and extreme media in hopes to guilt them into changing their ways. Rather than guilting people, I want to make people aware that this is still an issue in our country and educate them on the topic. With these intentions, I created my campaign known as Cruel to Be Unkind

Modernizing Medical Research to Benefit People and Animals

In the context of widespread public and political concern around the use of animals in research, we sought to examine the scientific, ethical, and economic arguments around the replacement of animals with New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and to situate this within a regulatory context. We also analyzed the extent to which animal replacement aligns with British public and policymakers’ priorities and explored global progress towards this outcome. The global context is especially relevant given the international nature of regulatory guidance on the safety testing of new medicines. We used a range of evidence to analyze this area, including scientific papers; expert economic analysis; public opinion polls and the Hansard of the UK Parliament. We found evidence indicating that replacing animals with NAMs would benefit animal welfare, public health and the economy. The majority of the British public is in favor of efforts to replace animals and focusing on this area would help to support the British Government’s current policy priorities. We believe that this evidence underlines the need for strong action from policymakers to accelerate the transition from animal experiments to NAMs. The specific measure we suggest is to introduce a new ministerial to coordinate and accelerate the replacement of animals with NAMs

Recent Developments in Alternatives to Animal Testing

Methods that replace techniques that use live animals, or methods of testing substances without live animal use, are known as alternatives, replacements or non-animal methods. Some prefer the term advanced technologies given the fact that they often rely on more sophisticated technology and are more human- relevant than the animal test they replace (see Langley et al., 2015). There have been efforts to replace animal tests since the 1960s. Significant progress initially came in replacing animals used to diagnose human disease; to produce biological drugs (such as vaccines); and to safety test batches of these drugs as they were produced. Concerns about safety were the initial driver for this, as drugs produced using animal material could be contaminated with animal diseases. However, cost, efficiency, and the need for swifter and more accurate predictions also played a part. Some of the earliest replacements are, in fact, no longer referred to as such, as they are now standard practice. For example, the polio vaccine used to be produced in primary monkey kidney cells, resulting in the death of tens of thousands of monkeys every year. However, by the 1970s, the use of long-lived human or monkey cells in culture was common place and the risk of contamination with animal viruses was also eliminated ( Bookchin and Schumacher, 2005). Batches of the vaccine against yellow fever used to be tested for efficacy (potency) on animals in lethal dose tests, but these tests were replaced by a cell culture test, the plaque-reduction neutralization test, in the 1970s (World Health Organization, who, 2007)

Advancing the 3Rs: innovation, implementation, ethics and society

The 3Rs principle of replacing, reducing and refining the use of animals in science has been gaining widespread support in the international research community and appears in transnational legislation such as the European Directive 2010/63/EU, a number of national legislative frameworks like in Switzerland and the UK, and other rules and guidance in place in countries around the world. At the same time, progress in technical and biomedical research, along with the changing status of animals in many societies, challenges the view of the 3Rs principle as a sufficient and effective approach to the moral challenges set by animal use in research. Given this growing awareness of our moral responsibilities to animals, the aim of this paper is to address the question: Can the 3Rs, as a policy instrument for science and research, still guide the morally acceptable use of animals for scientific purposes, and if so, how? The fact that the increased availability of alternatives to animal models has not correlated inversely with a decrease in the number of animals used in research has led to public and political calls for more radical action. However, a focus on the simple measure of total animal numbers distracts from the need for a more nuanced understanding of how the 3Rs principle can have a genuine influence as a guiding instrument in research and testing. Hence, we focus on three core dimensions of the 3Rs in contemporary research: (1) What scientific innovations are needed to advance the goals of the 3Rs? (2) What can be done to facilitate the implementation of existing and new 3R methods? (3) Do the 3Rs still offer an adequate ethical framework given the increasing social awareness of animal needs and human moral responsibilities? By answering these questions, we will identify core perspectives in the debate over the advancement of the 3Rs

A Vision Becoming Reality

Non-animal science in toxicology and health research has been progressing for decades, but only now is it being seen widely as advanced science. The emergence of novel human biology-based tools and models, combined with legislative and regulatory change, a 21st century concept for toxicology, continuing failures in the drug pipeline, and systematic critiques of animal models, have created a pivotal moment of change. The leading edge is starting to become the norm. Humans and other animals are likely to benefit as a result

An overview of current techniques for ocular toxicity testing

Given the hazardous nature of many materials and substances, ocular toxicity testing is required to evaluate the dangers associated with these substances after their exposure to the eye. Historically, animal tests such as the Draize test were exclusively used to determine the level of ocular toxicity by applying a test substance to a live rabbit’s eye and evaluating the biological response. In recent years, legislation in many developed countries has been introduced to try to reduce animal testing and promote alternative techniques. These techniques include ex vivo tests on deceased animal tissue, computational models that use algorithms to apply existing data to new chemicals and in vitro assays based on two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) cell culture models. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in ocular toxicity testing techniques, and discuss the regulatory framework used to evaluate their suitability

Safety assessment of cosmetic products, with emphasis on the ocular area: regulatory aspects and validation processes

Before marketing a cosmetic product, a series of biological assays, such as ocular irritation tests, must be conducted in order to prove that the product is safe. However, a few scientific articles mention the discussion and evolution of cosmetic products testing performed in the eyes area. the aim of this study was to review the available literature on the evolution of tests carried out with cosmetics, in the ocular area, as well as to describe the methodologies that have been used and that are currently accepted. in Brazil, tests performed on animals are still allowed. However, the international laws strongly recommend the use of alternative methods for evaluating the risk of cosmetic ingredients and products. Regulatory requirements involving the registration of these products also request safety support of them in human beings. To perform ocular tests in human beings, it is necessary to involve an ophthalmologist for conducting clinical protocols. These protocols signed by the expert physician are sent to the National Health Surveillance Agency in order to endorse the product manufacturer concerning its safety. the safety support of a cosmetic product is very important, taking into account that the consumer has free access to these products of widespread use in today's society.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Inst Environm Chem & Pharmaceut Sci, BR-09913030 Diadema, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, São Paulo, SP, BrazilGrp Invest, Campinas, SP, BrazilTRIDSKIN Labs Ltda, Grp Invest, Campinas, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Inst Environm Chem & Pharmaceut Sci, BR-09913030 Diadema, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Innovation in cosmetics - innovative makeup products: efficacy and safety

Trabalho Final de Mestrado Integrado, Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, 2017Unlike other industries that remain largely constant, the Cosmetics Industry is continuously changing. New products are created for hair, skin, makeup and personal care on a regular basis in order to meet the consumers’ needs and expectations. Cosmetic products have a lot to live up to these days, not only do they have to be innovative but also be effective and safe for the consumers and the environment. This dissertation presents the several types of innovation within the makeup branch of the cosmetics industry. Innovation can be done by adding new or improved ingredients to a formulation, making it different because of its properties; by changing the formulation itself, creating a product different from every other on the market, safer and easier to apply or use; by innovating the packaging, which is also becoming a huge trend because consumers are more demanding of unique, unusual and original packages that match their personality. Technology also takes a big part in the cosmetics industry, helping to develop products closer to the consumer needs and creating new connections and experiences between consumers and products. On a different level, cosmetics companies’ mentalities are also changing. Not only consumers are becoming more responsible and aware about environmental, ethical and social issues but they demand for the industry to share their concerns and evolve in a more conscious way. Innovation, at this pace, leads to the fast growth of the cosmetics industry. Investing in the development of a new product leads to a more complete, and varied market that provides a bigger, more effective and safer selection of products available to better suit the fast-changing consumer needs.Contrariamente a outras industrias que se mantem relativamente constantes, a industria cosmética está em constante mudança e renovação. Novos produtos cosméticos são constantemente introduzidos no mercado de forma a satisfazer as necessidades e as espectativas, cada vez mais exigentes e desafiantes, dos consumidores, tornando-o assim um dos mercados mais competitivo e com maior ritmo de inovação. Os produtos cosméticos e em particular o sector da maquilhagem é desafiado, cada vez mais, de forma a desenvolver produtos que para além de eficazes, sejam também seguros para os consumidores e para o ambiente, bem como desenvolvidos e produzidos em conformidade com os valores dos consumidores e da sociedade atual. Existem diversas formas de inovar no sector da cosmética, sendo uma delas ao nível dos ingredientes que constituem a formulação. Desta forma, podem ser adicionados ingrediente novos, nunca usados em contexto cosmético, e cujas propriedades revolucionam o método de atuação do produto; ou simplesmente a combinação de diversos ingredientes nunca antes conjugados que aliados conferem à formulação novas ou modificadas propriedades, consideradas disruptivas e superiores em relação aos restantes produtos disponíveis no mercado. Outra forma de inovar consiste em alterar o próprio tipo de formulação de forma a criar um produto completamente diferente. A aplicação de um tipo de formulação num contexto ou produto diferente do que é comum, com as devidas adaptações às novas funções e local de aplicação, é uma forma de inovação a este nível. Ao nível da embalagem do produto a inovação, criatividade e diferenciação tem ganho grande relevância entre os consumidores. A forma como o produto é armazenado e a sua embalagem, transmitem muito mais do que apenas integridade e proteção, criam também um posicionamento e transmitem uma mensagem, influenciado a forma como o produto é percecionado e desenvolvendo uma imagem de marca facilmente reconhecida pelos consumidores. A tecnologia é parte intrínseca da vida em sociedade e não é exceção no que concerne o desenvolvimento de produtos cosméticos. Não só torna o processo de investigação, fabrico e armazenagem mais rápido e eficiente como contribui para a produção de produtos cada vez mais eficazes, seguros e adaptados às necessidades mais especificas dos consumidores. Relativamente à mentalidade e aos valores da industria cosmética e das suas marcas constituintes, estes têm também sofrido alterações de forma a inovar e se adaptarem às regras de ética, sustentabilidade ecológica e responsabilidade social que vigoram na sociedade atual. As novas gerações de consumidores são cada vez mais responsáveis e conscientes acerca de questões ambientais, éticas e sociais, exigindo que a indústria compartilhe destas mesmas preocupações e altere os seus valores de forma a que estes se harmonizarem com os seus. Desta forma, o ritmo de inovação da industria cosmética leva ao seu rápido crescimento e desenvolvimento, tornando-a assim uma das mais dinâmicas e inovadoras do mercado. Cada novo produto desenvolvido ou aperfeiçoado contribui para um mercado mais completo e diversificado que oferece uma maior seleção de produtos mais eficazes, seguros e em maior conformidade com as necessidades e valores dos consumidores, contribuindo assim para a harmonização da relação industria – produto – consumidor