The International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) is set to hold its inaugural in-person meeting in Washington, D.C., on October 3rd, drawing together global stakeholders to discuss progress on animal-free safety assessments in the cosmetics industry. The event will host scientists, regulatory agency representatives, researchers, and industry leaders from around the world, with a focus on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and Next Generation Risk Assessments (NGRAs) aimed at ensuring the safety of cosmetics for humans and the environment without the use of animal testing.
ICCS President and CEO Erin Hill expressed excitement at the global event, stating, “We are honoured to convene this conference where participants can share insights and collaborate on efforts to accelerate the adoption of NAMs and NGRAs. Our mission is to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to drive the global shift towards animal-free safety assessments for cosmetics and their ingredients.”
Key Figures and Experts to Lead Discussions
The event will feature an impressive lineup of international experts who will provide insights, lead panel discussions, and challenge current thinking on the future of safety assessments in the cosmetics industry. Among the notable figures set to speak are:
- Dr. Anna Lowit, Senior Science Advisor at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Dr. Nicole Kleinstreuer, Director of NICEATM at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- Dr. Michelle Embry, Deputy Director of Environmental Sciences at the Health and Environmental Science Institute (HESI)
- Dr. Tara Barton-Maclaren, Research Manager at Health Canada’s Emerging Approaches Unit
- Dr. Patience Browne, Principal Administrator at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
- Dr. Gavin Maxwell, Director of Regulatory Science Strategy at Unilever
- Dr. Véronique Poulsen, Head of Environmental Safety at L’Oréal
- Dr. Robert Landsiedel, Vice President at BASF
These experts, alongside others from NGOs, regulatory bodies, and industry, will explore the advancements made in various parts of the world in implementing NAMs and NGRAs, offering a platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative innovation.
Shifting Towards Animal-Free Testing
The cosmetics industry has faced increasing pressure to move away from animal testing, driven by regulatory changes and consumer demand for cruelty-free products. NAMs, which include a variety of in vitro and computational methods, are viewed as the future of product safety assessments. These methods offer a more ethical and often more accurate alternative to traditional animal testing, aligning with growing efforts to safeguard animal welfare while maintaining rigorous safety standards.
The ICCS event aims to highlight the progress made so far, while also identifying the challenges that remain in scaling up and standardising NAMs for regulatory use. Erin Hill noted the importance of these discussions, saying, “Our goal is to create a space where global regulators, scientists, and industry leaders can come together to foster innovation and accelerate the transition towards more sustainable and humane testing practices.”
Post-Conference Workshop on NAMs
Following the main conference, ICCS will host a public workshop on October 4th titled “Building Confidence in NAMs for Regulatory Use: Opportunities to Advance Beyond the 6-Pack of Acute Toxicity Tests.” The workshop will bring together regulators, industry representatives, and NGOs to explore case studies and discuss practical applications of NAM-augmented read-across and ab initio assessment methodologies.
The workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to engage in hands-on discussions around two specific case studies, with the aim of developing actionable steps towards the wider adoption of NAMs in regulatory frameworks. Participants will work together to identify barriers and opportunities for advancing NAMs beyond the current standard toxicity tests, ensuring they are robust and reliable enough for global regulatory acceptance.
Global Collaboration for a Safer Future
ICCS’s inaugural meeting marks an important milestone in the global effort to eliminate animal testing from cosmetics safety assessments. As governments, NGOs, and industry players continue to push for more humane and scientifically advanced testing methods, the collaboration fostered at this event is expected to have far-reaching impacts on the future of cosmetics regulation.
Those interested in attending the conference and workshop can register at www.iccsconference.org/registration.
The event signals a growing momentum in the cosmetics industry, with experts from across the globe uniting to shape the future of safer, animal-free product development and testing.