The Search for Alternatives to Animal Testing in Cosmetics

The Pôle de Compétitivité Parfums Arômes Senteurs Saveurs (Pole PASS) organization was formed to support the flavor and fragrance industry by driving innovation to overcome the Cosmetic Directive’s 7th amendment, which will be implemented in 2009 and aims to ban animal testing. To address this issue, the group will hold an International Symposium: The Stake of Alternative Methods to Animal Testing for Cosmetics Symposium International on May 26, 2008 at the Aeroport Nice Cote D'Azur in Nice, France. The objectives of the symposium are: 

  • To bring together well-known national and international experts 
  • To examine the place of alternative methods in the risk assessment for a new product 
  • To inform on the procedures of validation of an alternative method 
  • To give a progress report on the methods whose validation deadline is fixed at 2009

The symposium will focus on three sessions: From the Ingredient to the Finished Product: Fundamentals of the Risk Assessment; European Actors and Referents on Alternative Methods; and Progress Report of the Alternative Methods for Skin and Eye Endpoints. Among the day’s eight expert speakers is Jon Lalko, RIFM's senior test program specialist, who will present on the place of alternative methods in the safety assessment of fragrance ingredients. Lalko will give an update on RIFM's activities in the development of alternative methodologies, and discuss how these methodologies fit in with RIFM's scientific and safety assessment programs. 

For more information on the International Symposium, go to the Pole PASS Web site at www.pole-pass.fr.

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