ICCS and NURA Will Host Three-Part Webinar Series on the Future of SAFE Sunscreens: Assessment Without Animal Testing

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) New Approach Methodology (NAM) Use for Regulatory Application (NURA), in partnership with the International Collaboration on Cosmetics Safety (ICCS), will present a webinar series aiming to identify practical solutions for ultraviolet (UV)-filter development and testing that improve predictivity while providing animal-free assessments of sunscreens. According to NURA, sunscreen assessment has been complicated by diverse and sometimes conflicting data requirements among regulatory authorities. In many countries, product developers are mandated to avoid animal testing whenever possible while other countries continue to require it. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes sunscreens as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs rather than cosmetics. This means sunscreens sold in the United States are subject to the same testing requirements as OTC pharmaceuticals, limiting access to the UV-filter innovation found internationally. Under the 2025 Supporting Accessible, Flexible, and Effective (SAFE) Sunscreen Standards Act, Congress directed FDA to modernize sunscreen assessment, aligning perfectly with FDA-wide efforts to replace animal testing with NAMs. The sessions will include:

• Session 1: Global Perspectives on Sunscreen Regulation, July 14, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT);

• Session 2: Modern Safety Assessments for UV Filters, August 13, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (EDT); and

• Session 3: Policy and the Regulatory Path Forward for Sunscreen Safety, date to be determined (registration will open once there is a final date), 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT).