Bipartisan Bill Proposes Big Changes to Cosmetics Regulations

Little has changed in the cosmetics industry, regulations-wise, since the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was passed in 1938. But if a new bill introduced recently by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) gets traction in committee, it could eventually lead to some dramatic changes in how cosmetics manufacturers respond to consumer concerns.
 
According to a NY Times report, the bipartisan bill would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) much wider powers to regulate cosmetics, including the right to annually study five different chemicals for safety. It would also require cosmetics manufacturers to report consumer complaints of “serious” unfavorable health effects, which could include death or disfigurement, within 15 business days. All reported incidents of less detrimental conditions, such as rashes or other similar conditions, attributable to cosmetic products also would require inclusion an annual report, the NY Times story said.
 
The new bill is the result of an ongoing collaborative effort between the federal government and the cosmetics industry to form better, more defined standards for product development.
 
“We support the creation of a national standard that maintains the continued safety of our products while providing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with additional regulatory authority over our industry,” said Lezlee Westine, president and CEO of the Personal Care Products Council, in a press statement. “While we believe our products are the safest category that FDA regulates, we also believe well-crafted, science-based reforms will enhance industry’s ability to innovate and further strengthen consumer confidence in the products they trust and use every day.”
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