Significant advancements in animal-free safety assessments were highlighted at the 2024 International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS) Inaugural Meeting, held earlier this month. The meeting welcomed more than 100 attendees from 13 countries.

“L’Oréal Groupe has been at the forefront of non-animal testing methods for over 40 years, and as a founding member of ICCS, we are proud to continue leading the industry in this mission. Our inaugural meeting in 2024 reinforced our dedication to advancing non-animal methodologies in partnership with government, NGOs, and industry stakeholders,” said ICCS Vice Chairman Stéphane Dhalluin, global head of human & environmental safety evaluation, L’Oréal.

“Since ICCS launched, we’ve made progress in building confidence in these innovative approaches,” continued Dhalluin. “By collaborating closely with regulatory bodies worldwide, we are working to accelerate the adoption of human-relevant, predictive models, setting a new standard for safety assessments.”

Launched in February 2023, ICCS brings together scientists and experts to drive greater global awareness and confidence in animal-free science through research, education, and regulatory engagement. This was the first public meeting ICCS held since its formation.

“Over 100 attendees from 13 countries have gathered for this inaugural meeting. Participants from government, Industry, research institutions, service organizations, trade associations, and NGOs are working toward animal-free safety assessments,” said Erin Hill, CEO, ICCS. “Our strength lies in our collaboration to create the pathway to the acceptance of the increased uptake of NAMs (new approach methodologies) and NGRAs (next generation risk assessment) throughout the globe.”

Regulatory Acceptance of Non-Animal Approaches

Following Hill’s opening remarks, Dr. Anna Lowit, senior science advisor from the US EPA, discussed regulatory acceptance of non-animal approaches, and shared the influences that helped transform the US EPA into a very important example of regulatory acceptance of non-animal approaches.

The panels addressed key topics, including EU and UK initiatives to eliminate animal testing, and the adoption of NAMs in Latin America. Industry experts and researchers presented new methodologies and digital modeling frameworks. Suppliers shared their perspectives on the integration of NAMs moving forward with new and impactful innovations for environmental and human safety.

Tara Barton-Maclaren, research manager of the Emerging Approaches Unit from Health Canada, shared her insights on integrating emerging data and innovative non-animal methodologies into chemical risk assessments. Developing global method guidance’s for chemical safety evaluations were also shared by Patience Browne, principal Administrator of Hazard and Exposure Assessment Programmes from OECD.

Environmental and Health Safety Assessments

Plenary speaker Michelle Embry, deputy director of environmental sciences from HESI, explored the similarities and differences between human and environmental health while emphasizing the critical role of NAMs and NGRAs. Sessions focused on integrating NAMs and next-generation risk assessments (NGRAs) for environmental and human health. Experts shared insights on bioaccumulation and chemical risk assessments.

The meeting concluded with acknowledgments from Hill and Dhalluin. Both expressed gratitude for the impactful presentations and constructive dialogues.