12.11.02
The Alberto-Culver Company, Melrose Park, IL, announced that it is formalizing and making public an internal company ban, in place for 10 years, that prohibits all animal testing.
"This permanent action has been made possible by advancements supported by the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), specifically the development of validated alternative eye and skin tests. We have both supported and worked closely with CAAT for several years striving toward this goal and we are very pleased to see that work brought to a successful conclusion," commented Dr. John Berschied, vice president of worldwide research and development.
He said that the internal company policy had been in place for the past 10 years and that, in fact, the company has done virtually no animal during that period and 95% of the products the company sells have never been tested on animals. "Our first commitment has always been to the health and safety of our customers," Dr. Berschied said.
CAAT director Dr. Alan Goldberg helped the company develop strategies for testing and identified several non-animal methodologies, which Alberto-Culver independently validated. A "reconstituted tissue equivalent" produced by SkinEthic, Inc. of Nice, France proved highly effective for both skin and eye irritation testing, allowing the company to assure the safety of its products without the use of animals.
"This permanent action has been made possible by advancements supported by the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), specifically the development of validated alternative eye and skin tests. We have both supported and worked closely with CAAT for several years striving toward this goal and we are very pleased to see that work brought to a successful conclusion," commented Dr. John Berschied, vice president of worldwide research and development.
He said that the internal company policy had been in place for the past 10 years and that, in fact, the company has done virtually no animal during that period and 95% of the products the company sells have never been tested on animals. "Our first commitment has always been to the health and safety of our customers," Dr. Berschied said.
CAAT director Dr. Alan Goldberg helped the company develop strategies for testing and identified several non-animal methodologies, which Alberto-Culver independently validated. A "reconstituted tissue equivalent" produced by SkinEthic, Inc. of Nice, France proved highly effective for both skin and eye irritation testing, allowing the company to assure the safety of its products without the use of animals.