The Way ahead for Alternatives Research
Colipa has established a Project Team to investigate integrated testing and assessment strategies for use in safety assessment taking into account the 2009 and 2013 deadlines of the 7th Amendment to the EU Cosmetic Directive and to provide guidance to the alternative testing programmes led/co-led by Colipa.
For this purpose, in vitro and in silico methods and testing strategies developed both within Colipa and with its partners (e.g. EPAA and ECVAM) and outside of Colipa will be considered. Gaps in the current method portfolio and design will be identified and existing alternative methods as well as those under development for each endpoint are critically evaluated. In particular, the utility of the data they generate for risk assessment is reviewed and appropriate integrated assessment and testing strategies will be recommended to ensure the safety of cosmetic ingredients and products.
In 2007 and 2008, a series of four workshops was organised within Colipa to evaluate how safety assessment for toxicological effects covered by the 2009 deadline (acute toxicity, skin and eye irritation, genetic toxicity) can be addressed by alternative approaches. Future activities will involve additional toxicological endpoints covered by the 2013 deadline.
The European cosmetics industry is committed to continuing significant research into alternative methods. We are making every effort to ensure the safety of our products without using animals. Through Colipa we are also committed to promoting alternative approaches to animal testing and acting as a driving force and a global ambassador in this field.