China non-animal test approved says disease prevention centr

Chinese officials have accepted the country’s first-ever non-animal testing method for cosmetics phototoxicity, or skin irritation, Yang Xingfen, the director of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province has confirmed. “We filed the alternative test method… to the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) for approval,” she said.

The test is called 3T3 neutral red uptake phototoxicity assay (3T3), an in vitro technology to replace the traditional test on animal skin. The centre is also developing a national standard for conducting the 3T3 test.

According to the SFDA, it is still seeking comments about 3T3 from local food and drug administrations across China. In November, the Institute for In Vitro Sciences – which helps corporations switch from animal to non-animal testing – held an in vitro testing seminar at the Beijing Technology and Business University.