Cut animal cruelty out of cosmetics

While “cruelty-free testing” is mandatory in Europe, in the U.S., there are no regulations regarding the testing of cosmetics. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who oversees the industry, does not approve such products before they go on the market. And according to the FDA, cosmetic authority is solely the responsibility of cosmetic manufacturers.

Therefore, to see to it that their products and the products’ ingredients are safe for human use, a majority of cosmetics are tested on animals. But as a country, we must ban animal-tested cosmetics.

Not only does moving away from animal testing make good economic and trade sense since the EU recently banned the sale of animal-tested cosmetics, it is time we protect animal rights.

With many alternatives to the commonly required safety tests, animal testing is no longer necessary.

There are sophisticated non-animal research methods which are more accurate, less expensive and less time-consuming than certain animal-based research methods. Alternatives include computer simulators and imaging techniques, epidemiological studies (studies of human populations), clinical research, in vitro research (in a test tube) and replacing animals with human cells in safety tests.

While three states – California, New Jersey and New York – passed laws mandating that available alternatives to animal tests be used, the U.S. currently has no federal law prohibiting animal testing.

With many toxic and carcinogenic ingredients found in cosmetics, not only are animals’ health at risk their rights are in question. It is time we protect animals and encourage modern science in response to the interests of consumers.