The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reportedly expecting companies to conduct animal tests on certain sunscreen ingredients, causing needless pain and suffering for thousands of mice, rats, and other animals. Since reliable, widely-accepted testing alternatives can be used instead of animals, the FDA is creating an unnecessary ethical dilemma for companies that want to maintain their no animal testing policies and for compassionate consumers who want to shop cruelty-free.
Tell the FDA that animal tests are not needed to show sunscreen ingredients are safe!
In recent years, the FDA has given the development and use of non-animal methods more attention, and this is the perfect opportunity to implement a battery of alternative methods to establish scientific evidence of safety for key ingredients. Data from new approach methods are more relevant than what animal testing can provide, so requiring new animal tests simply does not make sense and would result in unnecessary, painful animal suffering. In addition, many of the ingredients the FDA wants tested have been used in Europe for years with no apparent health concerns, and that history of safe use is the gold standard.
The FDA needs to recognize that Americans want safe AND cruelty-free sunscreens. To assure quality science and consumer confidence, the FDA needs to forge ahead with alternative methods and nix the animal tests. Tell the FDA that you don’t want animal testing in your sunscreen!
