CTPA event demonstrates cosmetics industry’s commitment to non-animal testing

By Jess Watts | 05 October 2025 | Events, Movers & Shakers, News

On September 29-30, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) showcased its dedication to advancing non-animal testing methods for chemical safety assessment, via training and workshops.

The event, which explored ‘how to apply non-animal New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA) frameworks’, consisted of two days of training at Woburn House, London.

It brought together scientists, toxicologists and regulatory experts across the cosmetics and chemicals industries, as well as specialist organisations and representatives from UK government.

Day one

The first day focused on ‘practical applications of new approach methodologies (NAMs)’. It featured hands-on case studies and expert-led sessions designed to ‘equip professionals with the tools and confidence to implement non-animal approaches in real-world safety assessments’.

Caroline Rainsford, director of science at CTPA, opened both days of the event by highlighting how the global cosmetics industry is working to accelerate the transition to animal-free safety testing for chemicals.

She commented: “The cosmetics and personal care industry has been at the forefront of developing, evaluating and using animal-free approaches for safety assessment for nearly 40 years, and CTPA champions this work through our ongoing programme of events to bring together different stakeholders in this field, and to equip scientists with additional skills in conducting safety assessments without animal data.”

Day two

The second day aimed to build on the foundation laid during the previous workshops via a deep dive into strategies and adaptations that could be put in place to ‘build confidence in using non-animal methods to meet regulatory safety requirements’. Scientists and regulatory experts from across UK government engaged in discussions.

Francesca Rapolla, senior affairs manager – science at CTPA, closed the event by emphasising the importance of education and collaboration for the future of cosmetic and chemical safety assessment.

She said: “By investing in education and creating opportunities for scientific dialogue between experts from industry, authorities, NGOs, academia and more, we’re not only advancing science – we’re building trust and advancing scientific knowledge across the stakeholder community.”

The two-day event highlighted the cosmetics industry’s ‘proactive commitment to the development and use of scientifically robust alternatives to animal testing’, shares a CTPA spokesperson.

Find out more about CTPA via www.ctpa.org.uk