New bill to amend FDA’s Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve cosmetics safety

Proposed to create uniform safety rules and regulate the ingredients used in personal care products, the new bill aims to update federal safety rules made in 1938.

The bill proposes the FDA assess the safety and appropriate use of at least five ingredients per year. It also provides clear guidance regarding the amount and the use of ingredients.

The first set of chemicals including preservatives diazolidinyl urea, propyl paraben, and quaternium-15; colour additive lead acetate; and methylene glycol/formaldehyde will require review if the bill is passed.

Feinstein said: “From shampoo to lotion, everyone (women, men, children) uses personal care products every day.

“Despite the universal use of these products, none of their ingredients have been independently evaluated for safety. This puts consumer's heath at risk and we urgently need to update the nearly 80-year-old safety rules.”

The new act provides the FDA with authority to recall select personal care products considered a threat to consumer safety. It also requires clear labelling of products with ingredients not suitable to children or those that require professional administration.

As around 40% of personal care product purchases are made through internet, the bill urges online availability of the complete information related to label, ingredients, and product warnings.

The bill will also require companies to put their contact information on products, rapidly report serious adverse events to the FDA, have an annual manufacturer registration, and provide information on the ingredients used.

The bill directs the FDA to issue regulations on good manufacturing practices and collect user-fees from manufacturers of personal care products.

Several companies such as Au Naturale, Babo Botanicals, the Estee Lauder Companies, L’Oreal, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, Revlon, Unilever, and Procter & Gamble are in support of the bill.

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Image: Bill to strengthen regulation on personal care products. Photo: courtesy of mrpuen/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.