In Brief: India Animal Test Ban; Lauder Acquires Le Labo; More

Following a ban on all testing of cosmetics on animals in the country, India’s Ministry of Health and Family has announced a prohibition on the import of animal-tested cosmetics. Published in the Oct. 13 Gazette of India, the ban is expected to go into force in November. “The move brings India up to speed with Israel and the European Union nations, which have already banned the sale and marketing of animal-tested cosmetics,” says People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. The health ministry amended its Drugs and Cosmetics Rules to ban animal testing earlier this year ([A#02140602007]).

Representing the Public Interest Alliance, the Judd Law Group says it has settled with four additional manufacturers for including titanium dioxide in their powder-based personal-care products without providing warning under California’s Proposition 65 law, which lists TiO2 “airborne, unbound particles of respirable size” as a cancer hazard. [Aubrey Organics], Bonne Bell Company, Innovative Skincare and one unnamed company have agreed to remove TiO2 from the offending products, feature a proper Prop 65 warning label or remove the products from the market, according to a release. In addition, “agreements in principle” have been reached with additional companies, bringing the total number of defendant settlements to 19, the law firm says