SANTE is against animal testing

No more animal experiments for cosmetics! What SANTE Naturkosmetik has been demanding and practicing for decades, has finally become tangible policy: the EU has set the course for putting an end to animal experiments. Since 2004, it has been illegal to test cosmetic products on animals. Nevertheless, animals continued to suffer for beauty. The EU is now taking another step in the direction of a ban on animal experiments by promulgating a law that took effect in March 2009.

• Cosmetic products containing ingredients tested on animals may no longer be marketed in the EU. This is a reason to celebrate, but animal welfare activists have not yet won the war, as the devil is in the details. Unfortunately the new EU regulations contain a loophole that will continue to make animal experiments possible.
• The ban only concerns ingredients used exclusively for cosmetics. There are only a few of those, as cosmetics mainly consist of ingredients also used for other products. Such substances can continue to be tested on animals, for at least a few years to come.

The new EU regulations are nevertheless welcome, as – more than ever before – they enforce the use of alternative methods not involving animals.

Animal experiments have never been carried out or commissioned in connection with SANTE Naturkosmetik.

Respect for humans, animals and the environment constitute the ethical foundation of SANTE Naturkosmetik. This is why SANTE has been committed to a general ban on animal experiments and the development and use of alternative test methods for decades.

• As animal experiments and the rise of modern chemistry are inseparably linked, the best guarantee for cosmetics not tested on animals is still to do without the new wave of synthetic chemistry.
• SANTE Naturkosmetik is committed to using authentic, natural ingredients such as plant oils, plant butter, plant waxes and plant extracts. It is based on the great traditions of naturopathy and herbal cosmetics – knowledge that has been built up over centuries.
• SANTE Naturkosmetik is committed to strict quality criteria, i.e. the „Kontrollierte Naturkosmetik BDIH” (BDIH controlled natural cosmetics) requirements and the strict guidelines of the new NaTrue certification.
• BDIH and NaTrue certification requires ingredients to be either purely natural or selected from a limited list of substances identical to or very similar to natural substances, unlike thousands of other ingredients used in cosmetics.

When will we finally put a complete end to animal experiments in the production of cosmetics?

A complete ban on animal experiments is still not possible, as there are insufficient alternative methods to investigate the potential side-effects of chemicals. The wisdom of the animal experiments still being carried out has been questioned by animal welfare activists for many years. Policy regarding this issue has hardly changed, but the pressure to act is increasing.

• A more flexible attitude would, for example, be expressed by recognizing more alternative methods and reducing the accreditation processing times.

The number of animal experiments will decrease, however, as the new EU regulations stipulate that:

• Certain tests are to be completely banned after a specific date, regardless of whether alternative testing procedures are available or not. After many years of the struggle against animal experiments, this is a great victory.
• Until 2013, alternative testing procedures (not involving animals) will have to be used where such procedures exist for the various tests. Where they do not exist, animal experiments will still be possible in line with chemicals legislation.
• As it has been stipulated, however, that certain tests will only be permitted for a limited period, there is now no way of avoiding the development of alternative methods.

More money for research not involving animal experiments

The time when the subject of cosmetics linked to animal experiments can finally become a thing of the past depends on the development of alternative testing methods. It is already clear, however, that the new EU regulations will lead to increased research efforts.

• So far, the EU and the European Cosmetics Association (Colipa) have made 50 million euros available for the development of long-term-toxicity testing methods that will not involve animals.
• Five alternative methods not involving animals have so far been approved in the EU and in some cases worldwide.
• Long-term toxicity remains the crux of the matter. This issue involves long-term tests in which many animals die. Such tests will continue to be legal until 11 March 2013.

Marketing prohibition for cosmetics tested in foreign countries.

Unlike in Europe, animal experiments are still very much the norm in other parts of the world. In some cases they are even prescribed and hardly ever questioned. - Cosmetics imported from countries outside the EU may have been tested on animals or contain ingredients that have been tested on animals. A ban on the import of such products has long been requested. Now it is a reality – with some restrictions: - Already, cosmetics tested on animals in foreign countries such as Japan or the USA may no longer be imported. Until March 2013, however, imported products may contain ingredients that have been tested on animals. It is still an open question, though, how adherence to the new regulations can effectively be checked.

Can „not tested on animals“ be guaranteed 100%?

As long as animal experiments are still legal anywhere in the world, it will unfortunately be impossible to guarantee that a product has not been tested on animals at all.

• No producer is able to fulfill the legal requirement of providing proof that an ingredient has not been tested on animals by a third party somewhere in the world. This also applies to natural substances such as chamomile or calendula. Even with the best intentions and control procedures, it is not possible to provide proof that a given cosmetics ingredient has never come into contact with animal experiments.
• For decades, SANTE Naturkosmetik has been working with a carefully controlled group of raw materials suppliers; at the same time focusing on making its contribution to a ban on animal experiments.
• Even national and international logos advertising cosmetics not tested on animals are not a guarantee that a substance has never been tested on animals. Such logos normally refer to a certain date from which these substances have not been tested on animals. The past is not taken into account. The subject of animal experiments will only really become history once all chemicals have been tested entirely without the use of animals. We hope that this remaining part of our journey will be much shorter than the long time it took to reach the current state of the ban on animal experiments.

Date of information: March 2010