Act in the Chamber condemns the use of animals in testing.
Members of the Parliamentary Front for the Defense of Animal Rights and the Parliamentary Environmental Front, along with animal rights activists, held a symbolic event in support of the Humane Society International's (HSI) "Be Cruelty-Free" campaign against the use of animals in laboratory testing for the production of cosmetics.
Ana Cristina Campos
Reporter from Agência Brasil
Brasilia – Members of the Parliamentary Front for the Defense of Animal Rights and the Environmental Parliamentary Front and animal rights activists held a symbolic event today (23) in the Chamber of Deputies in support of the “Be Free from Cruelty” campaign, by Humane Society International (HSI), against the use of animals in laboratory tests for the production of cosmetics.
During the event, Congressman Ricardo Izar (PSD-SP), coordinator of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of Animal Rights, said that the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Marco Antonio Raupp, will meet today at 15 pm with representatives of the two parliamentary fronts and activists. They will request that the National Council for the Control of Animal Experimentation, linked to the MCTI, prohibit animal testing for cosmetics. The meeting was confirmed by the ministry's press office.
According to the congressman, the incident in São Roque (SP), in which activists took 178 beagle dogs from the Royal Institute, a laboratory that uses animals for research, served as a landmark to stimulate changes in animal rights. "Despite the negative aspect of the event, it served to mobilize the House. Today, the issue is on the agenda. Brazilian legislation is very outdated in everything concerning animals," said the congressman.
According to him, Brazil doesn't need to conduct animal testing for cosmetics production. "It's an old practice. Several countries no longer use animals. Even from a marketing perspective, it's better for Brazil. Today, Brazilian cosmetics are not sold in the European Community because they use animals in testing," he added.
According to Simone de Lima, director-general of ProAnima, an animal protection association in the Federal District, the campaign is focusing on cosmetics at this initial stage. "It's not about believing that animal testing for medicines or chemical products is justifiable, but about its immediate viability. Alternative methods already exist for the immediate elimination of testing. Brazil is the third largest cosmetics market in the world. A ban in the country would have international repercussions," she explained.
The manager of the "Free Yourself from Cruelty" campaign at HSI, Helder Constantino, reported that alternative methods to avoid using animals in testing include artificial skin, human cells grown in the laboratory, and computational methods. "These are safe and efficient methods," he emphasized.
A committee of federal deputies will be created to investigate animal abuse, announced yesterday the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Henrique Eduardo Alves (PMDB-RN). The committee will be coordinated by Deputy Delegado Protógenes (PCdoB-SP) and the rapporteur will be Ricardo Tripoli (PSD-SP).
Edition: Adjutant Grace