Chile is the 45th country to ban animal testing for cosmetic products, joining countries such as India, Taiwan, New Zealand, South Korea, Colombia, Guatemala, Australia, Mexico and others.
In particular, the law prohibits both animal testing and the import and sale of products that have been tested on animals to demonstrate their safety in humans.
The ban on animal testing related to the sustainable and ethical use of animals for research and other purposes, as well as the ethical status of animals, has been the subject of debate in recent decades.
Any sample used in research for scientific purposes represents an individual capable of feeling pain. Therefore, scientific integrity is of paramount importance to all researchers who must apply international principles to limit harmful effects on animals.
.
Although cosmetic products are not tested on animals in Chile, the recent approval of an amendment to the health law prohibits animal testing of cosmetic products and ingredients, as well as their import and marketing, which represents a major achievement for the country.
Consumers demand cruelty-free products
Chile has adopted regulations in this regard that prohibit the testing of cosmetics on living organisms, thereby respecting the principle of substitution. On the other hand, it is in line with the principles of the OECD, which for more than 25 years has recognized the importance of protecting the welfare of animals, particularly those used in experiments.
Ultimately, by adopting this change, the country is responding to the needs of our society as societal acceptance of the use of animals in cosmetic testing has changed over the years and more people are seeking cruelty-free products. , identified with a seal.
The ability to replace the use of animals shows that we now have the technology and scientific capacity to develop reliable and predictive models that allow us to generate similar information, but without having to rely on living beings.
This means we have tools to reassure consumers that the products they buy are safe and do not pose a risk to their health, without having to undergo animal testing first. However, there are situations in which the inclusion of animals in research is necessary, and in these cases the principles of minimization and selection are particularly important.
Develop alternatives to animal testing
In order to continue developing alternatives to the use of animals, it is necessary to support the scientific development of a country where there have not been major changes in recent years.
How we humans treat other animals, the ethics underlying these relationships, and their consequences now and in the future are aspects of growing public interest and demonstrate a clear concern about how we use animals in all areas: food, clothing, pets , entertainment etc course research.
Therefore, it is necessary to update our behavior towards them and the way we regulate them legally.
Since the adoption of the Animal Welfare Law in 2009, through the Responsible Use of Pets Law in 2017, and now the amendment to the Health Law in 2023, we see that Chile has tried to show concern for animals and biodiversity.
We hope that this path of change continues and that we will soon see shorter periods of time for legislative discussions that take into account the scientific information available in the country, particularly that related to the protection of our native species.
With information from: