Peru and Its Policies on Animal Testing

In Peru, more and more people have begun to take an interest in animal protection. In this context, various organizations have played a key role in defending animal rights, alongside public officials who have spearheaded legislative initiatives in this area. Added to this are content creators who promote lifestyles that are more mindful and respectful of other sentient beings, as well as members of civil society who have also helped raise awareness of this cause.

This empathy and greater awareness of animal welfare, which has grown over the years, has driven an increase in conscious consumption. In this context, natural, recyclable, and cruelty-free products—including cosmetics and beauty items—have gained prominence. However, despite the growing availability of cruelty-free alternatives in the Peruvian market, regulations in the cosmetics sector still permit animal testing as part of safety evaluations of products, their ingredients, or their combinations.

Current Status of Peruvian Legislation Regarding Animals

Peru currently has Law No. 30407 on Animal Protection and Welfare. This law establishes the necessary conditions to protect various species—both domestic and wild vertebrates—and recognizes them as sentient beings, stipulating that they must be treated appropriately by humans and live in harmony with their environment.

Furthermore, the law incorporates the principle of harmonization with international law, which establishes that the State must maintain an up-to-date regulatory framework that promotes animal welfare and protection, in accordance with existing international agreements, treaties, and conventions. In this regard, the law emphasizes the need for national legislation to continue evolving and aligning with international standards on animal protection.

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The Animal Protection and Welfare Act and Its Scope in Experimentation, Research, and Teaching

The law also addresses the use of animals in experimentation, research, and teaching, establishing that the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, in its role as the governing body, is responsible for regulating, through complementary regulations, animal protection and welfare in these contexts. It also works in conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment to define guidelines related to wildlife.

The regulations stipulate that these activities may only be conducted at institutions of higher education or specialized institutions—both public and private—that have animal welfare ethics committees. Furthermore, the regulations state that the use of animals must be limited to situations where no alternative methods exist that would yield the same results, while always striving to minimize pain and suffering.

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Is testing cosmetics on animals prohibited in this country?

Although current regulations generally prohibit experiments and research involving live animals that may cause them unnecessary suffering, injury, or death, they provide for exceptions in cases where such practices are essential to the advancement of science and cannot be replaced by alternative methods.

In this context, although the law mentions alternatives such as the use of cell cultures, tissues, computational methods, or other procedures, there is no specific regulation that directly applies this prohibition to safety and efficacy testing of cosmetic products, their ingredients, or combinations thereof.

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Authority responsible for granting marketing authorization for cosmetic products

In Peru, the cosmetics sector is regulated by the General Directorate of Medicines, Medical Supplies, and Drugs (DIGEMID), an agency under the Ministry of Health. This agency establishes a series of requirements for the manufacture and marketing of cosmetic products, including safety assessments. However, the regulations do not require that these tests be conducted on animals, nor do they explicitly prohibit their use, which leaves a regulatory gap in this area.

Furthermore, several countries have made progress in banning animal testing for cosmetics, adopting alternative methods that are more modern, effective, and safe for people. These advances have driven changes in regulatory policies at the international level, signaling a trend toward the phased elimination of these practices.

Furthermore, although there are still countries that allow animal testing—such as China, Peru, Argentina, and the United States—this trend has begun to shift in recent years. In the case of China, for example, certain cosmetic products were previously required to be tested on animals. However, its regulations have evolved to allow the sale of some imported products—such as shampoo, shower gel, lipstick, lotions, and makeup—that have been evaluated using alternative methods, provided they meet certain requirements.

In the case of Peru, the country has begun to take steps toward potentially aligning with these international trends. In this context, Bill No. 7688/2023-CR has been introduced, proposing to amend Law No. 30407 on Animal Protection and Welfare to ban animal testing in the cosmetics industry. If approved, this bill would advance both animal protection and access to products developed using more modern and safer alternative methods.

This progress would not only mean preventing animals from being subjected to procedures that can cause them suffering and death, but it would also promote the development and use of more ethical technologies in the cosmetics industry, benefiting both animals and consumers.

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Si quieres conocer más sobre esta iniciativa, puedes informarte y apoyar la campaña “También Sienten”, que busca poner fin al testeo en animales en el país, firmando la petición y compartiendo esta información con otras personas.