In a move that will save lakhs of rabbits and mice from being tortured, India may soon put an end to the cruel ‘Draize test’ conducted on eyes and skin of the animals to evaluate the safety of cosmetics and other personal care products.
A senior official from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) under the Union Health Ministry said that a panel which was set up recently to look into the feasibility of replacing the test with alternative technology, has invited comments from stakeholders — including laboratories and public in this regard.
If ‘Draize test’ is banned, it will be yet another step towards cruelty- free cosmetics test in India. Two years ago, the Health Ministry had banned import of animal-tested cosmetic products in the country.
Under the infamous test, which got its name from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) toxicologist Dr John Henry Draize, eyelids of rabbits and mice are pulled apart, and the chemical substance is put into the eye. Mostly rabbits are used for test purpose.
The eyelids are then held together for a moment to ensure that the substance is all over the eye. The bunnies are kept under observation to check whether or not irritation occurs over the next three days. They are usually monitored for a further three weeks before being either killed or, if there is no permanent damage to the eye, reused after a “wash-out” period that removes traces of the previously tested product, the official explained about the process.
In the similarly horrific skin test, test substances are typically rubbed onto the shaved backs of rabbits and mice to check for the severity of the reaction over a period of two weeks, before they are killed or “washed out” and reused.
Demand for ban on the ‘Draize test’ has been on the rise over the past few years, particularly from the animal lovers who felt that alternative methods were available and there was no need to be cruel to the animals. In April, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had staged a demonstration here, urging the Centre to put an end on the Draize toxicity test conducted on white rabbits.
The DCGI official said that, “the panel formation to consider ban of the Draise test move is in keeping with the international trend towards replacing tests on animals. We are studying available alternatives to be considered in Indian context, after obtaining assessment of feasibility, validation, preparedness of Indian laboratories among others.”
The main issues are: are our laboratories equipped for such changeIJ If no then how much time will they need for capacity building for using alternative methods.
The official said that in 2009 two alternative methods for assessing eye irritation were accepted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the international body responsible for producing and validating international test guidelines.
“Replacements for the skin irritation test using small discs of human skin cells grown in laboratories have also been accepted and validated by the OECD. When developing a new product, companies can use these validated and scientifically proven alternatives in lieu of the now-antiquated ‘Draize tests’. In addition, manufacturers can use established ingredients for which safety data is already available,” as per a report.