The Colombian Senate has banned cosmetics testing on animals. Bill 120/2018, championed by Animal Defenders International (ADI), was passed following a final debate in Congress of Colombia. The Senate was almost unanimous in voting for the bill to pass. Congress sessions had been postponed due to COVID-19 but resumed virtually so that the bill and other legislative initiatives could be discussed.
Legislation Comes to Force in Four Years
The legislation comes into force in four years and prohibits the use of animals for testing cosmetics products and their ingredients, whether imported or manufactured in Colombia. With many multinational companies based in Colombia to serve the Latin American market, the popular measure will impact Pacific Alliance countries Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
ADI provided research and testimony in support of the
bill introduced in 2018, and worked with bill author Congress member Juan Carlos Losada to advance the legislation, which is supported by the Colombian Government, National Association of Businessmen and all 14 political parties. The bill passed the House of Representatives on 2 April 2019 and the Senate on 11 June 2020. The legislative text will now, and before June 20, be reconciled in both Houses, in readiness for the President to sign into law.
Phasing Out Animal Testing for Cosmetics
Nearly 40 countries have ended the use of animals in cosmetics tests including the UK, the first country to introduce a ban in 1998, India, Israel, New Zealand and the 27 countries of the European Union. In the US, The Humane Cosmetics Act is before Congress and seeks to phase out animal testing for cosmetics, as well as sale of animal-tested products.
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Bravo Colombia for making a huge step forward in Latin America and ending the suffering of animals in cosmetics tests. Animal Defenders International urges other nations to follow Congress of Colombia historic, compassionate action,” said Jan Creamer, president of Animal Defenders International.
Cosmetics tests on animals can include repeated, toxic doses of products to observe long-term poisonous effects on organs. The animals may be forced to inhale products, or have them pumped down their throats or applied to their skin. In skin sensitization tests to assess potential allergic reactions, researchers cause painful damage to the animal’s skin in order to test products.
Investigations undertaken by ADI have exposed terrible suffering of animals used in cosmetics testing, including racks of rabbits restrained in stocks while products are dripped into their eyes and guinea pigs suffering raw and inflamed skin lesions. However, such tests are unnecessary and unreliable – advanced scientific methods are available, which avoid the problem of differences between species in their reaction to substances, producing misleading results. Advanced technology produces results relevant to humans.
Source: Animal Defenders International