Animal Alternatives Sponsored by
Researchers from the University of Aveiro, the University of Coimbra and the University Hospital of Coimbra have developed a dendritic cell-based test for skin sensitizers that can serve as an alternative to animal testing.
Cosmetics Europe recently urged the industry to oppose the appointment of Tonio Borg as Health Commissioner, as his "commitment to conclude the introduction of the March 2013 [animal testing] ban without addressing scientific reality or consumer needs is a great concern."
Experience the unmatched predictability of Strat-M membrane—a synthetic, non-animal based model* for transdermal diffusion testing that is predictive of diffusion in human skin without lot-to-lot variability, safety and storage limitations.
Pion Inc. has introduced a test method that predicts the permeability of drugs and dermal formulations through the human skin without the cost and low throughput restrictions of the Franz cell chamber.
The National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) is looking for scientific experts and data for a scientific review panel.
Cosmetics Europe—The Personal Care Association, formerly Colipa, held its annual General Assembly in Brussels, Belgium in June 2012. The scientific forum discussed topics of interest in EU legislation such as The Cosmetics Regulation, which was set to replace the Cosmetics Directive on July 11, 2013.
From an insider’s view, safety testing is an assumed step in the development of any product on the market. This puts the pressure on analytical and quality control efforts behind the scenes to ensure that ingredients and products meet or exceed expectations. In doing so, theoretically, no one else has to give it a second thought. For those who must give it considerable thought, this edition features two articles on testing, among other topics.
The testing of personal care products for ocular irritancy ensures their safety, proper labeling and consumer satisfaction. In relation, there is a current demand for animal-alternative tests. Thus, described here is a method using synthetic tissue to test for mild, moderate and severe ocular irritation, including data validating this method as an effective means to screen products.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and global cosmetic manufacturer L’Oréal announced a research collaboration to develop animal-alternative toxicity tests to ensure product safety.
The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) has recommended a non-animal test method to identify estrogen agonist and antagonist activity. In addition to recommending the test, ICCVAM also found the method to provide a number of benefits over the method currently employed in the United States.