Alternatives to Animal Testing

18 April 2008
Alternative techniques are being developed to replace much of the present animal testing and include in vitro assays, use of structure-activity relationships and computer modelling. The 7th Amendment to the EU Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC will phase in a ban (2004 -2013) on animal testing of personal care products and ingredients and will require the use of alternative testing methods where these are available and have been validated. It should be noted that 'natural' chemicals, which may be promoted as alternatives to synthetic chemicals, are not necessarily safer; some of these naturally occurring chemicals are toxic and may not have been tested for their potential health effects.