CTPA calls on UK government for dedicated animal-free chemical testing strategy
By Rebecca Hitchon | 02 May 2024 | Movers & Shakers, News
UK trade association, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA), is calling on the UK government to publish a dedicated Non-Animal New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) strategy.
Animal testing of cosmetic products and ingredients has been banned in the UK and EU since 2004 and 2009 respectively, and the UK and EU cosmetics industry has invested over €50 million over the past 25 years, making it a global leader in NAMs.
Ahead of the next general election, the CTPA has published a manifesto, with a dedicated NAMS strategy being one of its key asks. On 25 April 2024, the organisation held seminar, For a Government Strategy on Non-Animal Methodologies, which brought together cosmetics and chemicals industry representatives, NGOs, UK government representatives, academics and NAMs experts. They collaborated in workshops to develop potential key content of a strategy.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, shared a video message, where he conveyed the UK government’s commitment to driving forward the development and use of non-animal scientific methods through publication of a plan. He also shared that the government is doubling its investment in non-animal methods.
Courtesy of Linkedin.com
Dr Emma Meredith, director general of the CTPA, comments:
“CTPA wholeheartedly welcomes the UK government’s intention to draw up a plan to accelerate the use of NAMs and as this is a key ask in the CTPA manifesto ahead of the general election, I offer our full support to the government.
“A strategy will show the UK’s dedication to becoming a world leader on this exciting journey to revolutionise the way that chemicals have traditionally been safety tested, and CTPA is extremely pleased to have convened a neutral forum for NAMs experts, promoting open discussion about how to seize opportunities and overcome challenges.”
Courtesy of Linkedin.com
Dr Donna Macmillan, director of education and regulatory engagement at the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS), adds:
“The conference highlighted that animal-free safety assessment is not just theoretical. We can utilise tools currently in practice along with developing new, human-relevant and predictive methods, which can be used by industry and regulators to make robust safety decisions.”