US Moves a Step Closer to Banning Cosmetics Animal Testing
The ongoing debate for the use of animals in cosmetics has been going on for quite some time. At Good For You Girls we have never, nor will we ever, do animal testing. This is one of our key commitments since our inception in 2008. As a consumer you may not be privy to behind the scenes on such legislation so we wanted to provide you an update. As always, thanks for your continued support of our products and standards.
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Sep 13th, 2023 - Originally published Global Cosmetic Industry
The Humane Cosmetics Act has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Don Beyer (D-VA), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Paul Tonko (D-NY); the legislation would end safety testing of cosmetic products on animals and prohibit the sale of products developed using animal testing in the United States.
Beyer and Cárdenas were working to advance this legislation as far back as 2015. Senate companion legislation is expected to follow later in this latest session.
The move was praised by the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC; full statement below).
“We applaud Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), and Paul Tonko (D-NY) for driving a significant bipartisan effort that sets the stage for eliminating new cosmetics animal testing in favor of innovative, scientifically advanced safety assessments," said Lezlee Westine, president and CEO, PCPC. "This reintroduction builds on the decades’ long effort to promote non-animal alternatives and move closer to eliminating the need for animals in product safety testing."
“Cosmetics testing on animals is cruel, unnecessary, and outdated, and Congress should finally put a stop to it,” said Beyer, “Much of the cosmetics industry has already moved to more scientifically sound methods that do not result in animal cruelty. The Humane Cosmetics Act would outlaw an obsolete and inhumane practice without damaging American businesses. I thank my colleagues for supporting the Humane Cosmetics Act, which I hope will receive swift consideration.”
“Subjecting animals to painful experiments to test cosmetics is inhumane and entirely unnecessary,” said Buchanan, who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus. “Scientific advancements have created viable alternatives to these cruel experiments, while still ensuring that cosmetic products are safe for human use. As countries around the world work to prohibit animal testing in cosmetics, it’s time for the United States to get on board.’’
"It's time to move past the cruel, inhumane practice of testing cosmetics on animals," said Cárdenas. "I've been a champion for animal rights throughout my years in public service, and we've come a long way—now there are non-animal, cost-efficient research methods that we should be using instead of horrific, unacceptable tests on animals. I’m proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in introducing this bipartisan bill to protect animals from abuse.”
“The Humane Cosmetics Act is bipartisan legislation that will protect animals from being subjected to unnecessary testing by banning the production and sale of animal-tested cosmetics,” said Calvert. “I have and will continue to advocate for the expanded use of scientific alternatives to animal testing as a way to protect animals as well as lower costs for consumers and taxpayers. I want to thank Rep. Beyer for working on this important bipartisan step to protect animals.”
“Every year in our nation, thousands of animals suffer as a result of cosmetic animal testing. This cruel practice continues even as scientific advancements have created viable alternatives that make animal testing unnecessary,” said Tonko. “Our Humane Cosmetics Act would institute national restrictions on animal testing for cosmetics, all while supporting the development and implementation of testing alternatives that will ensure the continued growth of the U.S. cosmetics industry. I’m proud to support this legislation that will restore America’s position as a world leader in cruelty-free safety methods that promote the well-being of humans and animals alike.”
"Eleven states and 44 countries already slammed the door shut on new animal testing for cosmetics. In fact, the U.S. is essentially the only country in the North America that hasn’t passed legislation to end it.” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “We want consumers to be safe. Non-animal tests are faster and more relevant to human health, and that’s why the Personal Care Products Council supports the bill. In this divided Congress, leadership matters and Reps. Beyer, Buchanan, Tonko, Calvert, and Cardenas should be applauded for protecting consumers and animals while promoting good science.”
Monica Engebretson, head of public affairs North America, Cruelty Free International, said, “Cruelty Free International applauds this renewed effort to bring an end to animal testing for cosmetics across the United States. This is a unifying issue that has earned bipartisan support and will match the progress we are seeing at the state-level and around the world as consumers, companies, regulators, and advocates come together to achieve a common goal of ensuring that animals won’t suffer for the sake of cosmetics anywhere.”
Full PCPC Statement
The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) and our member companies strongly support the Humane Cosmetics Act reintroduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) and Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.). We applaud these members of Congress for driving a significant bipartisan effort that sets the stage for eliminating new cosmetics animal testing in favor of innovative, scientifically advanced safety assessments.
The Humane Cosmetics Act prohibits animal testing of cosmetics and their ingredients and prohibits the sale in the United States of cosmetics that have been tested on animals. This reintroduction builds on the decades’ long effort by industry and stakeholders to promote non-animal alternatives. For nearly four decades, both in the U.S. and globally, our member companies have been instrumental in the movement to develop viable alternative safety assessment methods, and we will continue to work towards this important charge.
PCPC and our member companies have worked with policy makers to achieve regulatory and scientific advancements that will move the world closer to eliminating the need for animals in product safety testing. Our industry has been at the forefront of the ambitious goal to eliminate animal testing and has long advocated for government recognition and acceptance of non-animal testing methods for product safety. The bill includes select exemptions for products that undergo animal testing mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other international regulators.
PCPC stands united with a diverse coalition of stakeholders to support a uniform, humane standard for animal welfare and cosmetics safety. PCPC works closely with the International Cooperation on Cosmetic Regulation (ICCR), International Cooperation on Alternative Test Methods (ICATM) and the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) in an effort to advance science and encourage global adoption of alternative methods for safety assessments. Launched in February 2023 with the support of approximately 40 cosmetics brand manufacturers and ingredient suppliers, international industry associations and animal rights NGOs, ICCS is committed to the adoption of animal-free safety assessments for cosmetics and personal care products and their ingredients.
We look forward to working with animal welfare groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, and members of Congress to enact this important legislation to protect animal welfare while ensuring the safety of these innovative products that consumers trust and rely on every day.