SACRAMENTO…Senator Jack O’Connell has introduced a bill aimed at safeguarding animals by eliminating needless animal experimentation for cosmetics and household products.  The bill, SB 777 directly focuses on manufacturers in the industry who refuse to give up animal testing in favor of more accurate and more humane alternatives.

“Every day, thousands of animals must endure the pain inflicted upon them by cosmetic and household product testing,” commented O’Connell.  “Many animals are blinded and/or crippled so that products such as mascara can be ‘safely tested.’  Oftentimes, these injuries end in a long and painful death, with many animals actually breaking their backs in order to escape the stocks in which they are placed for testing.”

SB 777 would prohibit manufacturers of cosmetics and household cleaning products from using the Draize Test and the Skin Irritancy Test on live animals in this state for the purpose of testing these products.  Importantly, the measure does not affect medical research upon animals or tests performed for the purpose of assessing the safety of products such as economic poisons or pharmaceutical products.

The Draize Test is used to determine the irritancy of a cosmetic by spraying or squirting substances such as nail polish remover, shampoo, or eye shadow on the eyes of immobilized rabbits.  The Skin Irritancy Test determines the irritancy of products such as hair bleach or floor wax by applying these substances to the shaved skin of rabbits.

There are presently a dozen alternative, non-animal tests which are now being voluntarily used by major cosmetic companies such as Nexus, Redken, Paul Mitchell, Rachael Perry and Penache.  One test, called TESTSKIN, provides test models which resemble actual human skin with its dermal and epidermal structure.

O’Connell concluded, “I am hopeful that as we near the new millennium the Legislature and Governor Davis will agree that it is time to ban these cruel and archaic tests.”

SB 777 is eligible to be heard in Senate policy committees after March 27.