Genomics, Superbugs and More in Cosmeceuticals

Posted: March 12, 2009

Genomics, botanicals, superbugs and internal aging were among the hot topics discussed at the Cosmeceuticals Summit, held in Orlando, Fla., USA, on March 9-11, 2009. The event was organized by IntertechPira and chaired by Nava Dayan, PhD, head of R&D for Lipo Chemicals; Professor Philip W. Wertz, PhD, of the department of oral pathology, radiology and medicine at the University of Iowa; and Wen Schroeder, president of Seki Cosmeticals.

The event began with a pre-conference seminar on in vitro data to support REACH and the Cosmetics Directive for Safety Assessment. The main event opened the next morning with introductory remarks by Christine Groff, conference director for IntertechPira. A conference overview was then given by the conference chairs.

The first session focused on regulatory began with an enthusiastic presentation by Schroeder, who defined cosmeceuticals as "cosmetics that have a drug-like effect." She discussed some of the causes for the rise of cosmeceuticals, including aging babyboomers and the effects of youth-focused advertising. Schroeder noted that the first emergence of cosmeceuticals was in the 1980s with AHA. In terms of cosmeceutical claims, she advised attendees to "be careful how you use them." She cited a number of court courses where products did not deliver the results that consumers expected based on claims. The presentation continued with a discussion of botanicals, a regular fixture in today's cosmeceutical market. According to Schroeder, creating a natural or organic product can have consequences, including the possibility of pesticides or other chemicals, as regulation is not rigid in all countries that manufacture organic plants.

The discussion of cosmetic court cases continued with Annie Ugurlayan, senior staff attorney at the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bereaus Inc. According to Ugurlayan, "many cosmetic companies make outlandish claims." She introduced a number of cases handed by her division, but the conclusion remained the same, that manufacturers should back up all claims with solid testing. Her advice: "Avoid likening topical cosmetic products to invasive medical procedures."

Rounding out the regulatory discussions was Azalea Rosholt of the customs and international trade practice at Ernst & Young LLP. Customs may not be an arena many know about; however, Rosholt finds that large penalties should prompt people to become aware of such knowledge. She informed attendees that products crossing the border are subject to regulation, including regulations on label claims.