• Question: what is your opinion on testing cosmetics on animals?

    Asked by drlucy to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 19 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by genemad25.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      Difficult to say – obviously it is not something that is done out of malice or cruelty, it’s part of a product’s test cycle and is done so to prevent products that may harm humans or have side effects getting on to market.

      What I am a proponent of is the 3 R’s

      Reduction, replacement and refinement of animals that is – only using animals where stricly necessary, reducing the numbers that are actually used and finding other means when applicable. I tihnk this country is a front runner for animal welfare and I believe it is possible for testing on animals to be conducted in an ethical manner

      – I am not however, by any means excusing the many instances of sloppy testing procedures or poor conditions experienced by some testing animals – we can certainly improve greatly on that!

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      My opinion on cosmetic testing is that we have enough cosmetics in terms of makeup and toothpaste, shampoo ect, and therefore we should not need to use animals for this type of testing. Many countries across the globe demand batch testing of cosmetics to ensure they are safe before they can be sold in that country. Sadly for the animals this means that companies are forced to carry out this batch testing in countries that may not have as high a standard of care and welfare as the UK, having said that there are countries who equal our high standards.

      There is another side to cosmetic testing which is for skin grafts, birth-marks, so it also can be to investigate people who have suffered burns, acid attacks and with skin deformities.

      If it were up to me cosmetic testing would not be allowed unless there was an true need for it which has been robustly justified, I mean I guess one could argue that drugs for obesity may fall under the cosmetic umbrella but I think that there is justification in researching this.

      Other things which some people may feel fall under cosmetic testing but are treated as disease treatments are creams to help eczema sufferers, but these are really considered medical diseases and not cosmetic.

      It is quite complicated when you think about it but most of the time when people think of cosmetics they think of makeup and as far as I am concerned there is plenty of knowledge about that now.

      As with all animal testing even if the animals are looked after to a high standard of care and testing can be carried out in a humane way, if we have enough information about the cosmetic (or a drug or vaccine or chemical testing for that matter) then I really do not think animals should be used. However you have to make up your own mind 🙂

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