May be beneficial after animal testing ban

Scientists in the United States are growing human skin from the leftovers of cosmetic operations using living epidermis known as Episkin, which is used in tiny samples to test cosmetics. This technology avoids the need to use animals, which will prove significant because from next year, the EU Cosmetics Directive will ban the use of animals in testing cosmetics and their ingredients.

Lab Grown SkinL’Oreal, the cosmetic company who runs the lab, secured a breakthrough last May when Episkin, which has taken more than 20 years and £500 million (about RM3.2 billion) to develop, was awarded validation by the European Commission regulator as an official alternative to animal testing for skin irritancy.

The development of artificial human skin will not mean the end of animal tests because they are still required by law in industries such as food, pesticides and pharmaceuticals. But the European Commission has estimated that Episkin could save about 20,000 animals a year from laboratory testing.