Good News! Hoyu Science Foundation abolishes animal experiments in its research grants for cosmetics and quasi drugs

Regarding research grants from the “Hoyu Science Foundation” established in 2014 by hair color manufacturer Hoyu Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Nagoya, founded in 1905), for applications in the fields of cosmetics and quasi drugs, research involving animal testing will now be excluded from the selection and would no longer be subsidized, as revealed to the Cruelty Free Beauty campaign organizers made up of three groups including Animal Rights Center Japan.

The new solicitation from July this year states: “This foundation encourages efforts to abolish animal experiments in the development of cosmetics (including quasi drugs).  Regarding research applications involving animal testing related to the field of cosmetics / quasi drugs, we will additionally examine whether it conforms to the policy of the Foundation”.  This policy was established by the foundation’s board of directors this June.

In the solicitation, among the fields of cosmetics / quasi drugs, under [Research on dermatology], “Research on alternatives to animal tests for safety tests” is also listed as one of the application themes.

This condition applies from the FY2021 research grant solicitation (application period is 7/1 – 9/30, 2020).

In addition to the fields of cosmetics and quasi drugs, the field of pharmaceuticals is included under research fields covered by the grant, but the above conditions do not apply to the pharmaceuticals field.

While the number of countries and regions like the EU prohibiting animal testing for cosmetics is increasing, research and development of new test methods to replace animal testing (animal testing alternatives) are underway.

As subsidy systems for research and development by cosmetics companies of alternative methods to animal experiments, there are the Lush Prize (2012-) and the Mandom Animal Experiment Alternatives International Research Grant (2007-).  In addition, for cosmetics research grants, others that has the condition that animal experiments are not conducted include the”Kao Melanin Research Group” established by Kao Co., Ltd.

The hope is that not only will companies abolish animal experiments, but also such trend will spread to research foundations and the like.

Finally, Hoyu Co., Ltd. is currently continuing a positive dialogue with CFB toward the abolition of animal experiments.