ECHA: Clarification on Animal Experimentation

When is animal testing permitted and when is it forbidden? Many persons in charge don’t know if they are obligated to follow the requirements of the Cosmetics Regulation or of REACH. The Cosmetics Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009) forbids the marketing in cosmetics if the product, its individual ingredients, or combinations of its ingredients were tested on animals. Yet many contents also fall under the requirements of the REACH Regulation, which means that uncertainty exists in many quarters about which regulation to follow. The ECHA has now given its view about which cases permit animal testing and which cases forbid such testing.

  • Registrants of substances that are used only in cosmetics are not obligated to follow the REACH Regulation. REACH applies and permits animal testing only to assess the risk to the health of workers who actually come into contact with the substance.
  • Animal testing is also permitted for substances that are used in a variety of purposes other than cosmetics.
  • Animal testing is always permitted when it involves the endpoints of human health or the environment.

If you have questions about when to avoid animal testing or if you’re unsure about a specific case, we are here for you.

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