Will the FDA Ban Hydroquinone in Pigment Control Products?

Product safety issues have the FDA second-guessing the use of the
skin-lightening compound, according to Millennium Research Group

WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Millennium Research Group
(MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, the US
market for physician-dispensed cosmeceutical pigment control products will
experience considerable growth in sales over the next five years. MRG's US
Markets for Physician-Dispensed Cosmeceuticals 2009 report finds, however,
that product safety issues involving hydroquinone, the active ingredient in
many pigment control products, have led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
to second guess the use of the compound in such products.

Pigment control products are designed to reduce hyperpigmentation of the skin,
including sun and age spots, scars, and acne discolorations, along with other
skin conditions that cause uneven pigmentation. In 2006, the FDA proposed a
ban on over-the-counter sales of hydroquinone products due to studies in
rodents that indicated that hydroquinone may act as a carcinogen. Three years
later, the FDA continues to review comments on the proposed ban but has yet to
make a final ruling. Over-the-counter products containing 2% hydroquinone or
less are still sold in the retail market, while products containing up to 4%
hydroquinone are available by prescription only. The FDA plans to make a final
ruling by the end of the year.

The uncertainty surrounding hydroquinone-based products has prompted some
companies to explore the use of other skin lightening ingredients that are
safer but yield similar aesthetic results. Additionally, some physicians have
refrained from recommending hydroquinone products to their patients. Although
the compound has been shown to be highly effective in skin lightening
applications, concerns over product safety linger. If the FDA were to enforce
a ban, all existing products in the market would require FDA approval before
being sold and all products would be available by prescription only.

"If new pigment control products were able to generate fast, effective results
without the use of hydroquinone, the pigment control market would experience
tremendous growth," says Kevin Flewwelling, Manager of the Aesthetics division
at MRG. "Although we don't think the FDA will ban the use of over-the-counter
hydroquinone-based products, we expect that companies will continue to invest
in the research and development of new, non-hydroquinone pigment control
products because of the tremendous market opportunity."

About Report
MRG's US Markets for Physician-Dispensed Cosmeceuticals 2009 report covers the
markets for physician-dispensed moisturizers, antiaging products, eye
treatment products, cleansers and toners, pigment control products, acne
treatments, sunscreens, and chemical peels in the US. The report provides
unit sales and market revenues by product segment, including five-year
forecasts, in-depth qualitative insights on leading products, and an analysis
of the competitive landscape in each segment.

Webinar
Members of the media are welcome to attend our upcoming webinar entitled
Shifting Dynamics in the Physician-Dispensed Cosmeceuticals and Facial
Aesthetics Markets. This webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 23, 2009
at 11 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time. For more information, please contact Roisin
Bonner at 416-364-7776 ext. 147 or by email at rbonner@mrg.net

About Millennium Research Group
Millennium Research Group (www.MRG.net), a Decision Resources, Inc. company
(www.DecisionResourcesInc.com), is the global authority on medical technology
market intelligence and the leading provider of strategic information to the
health care sector. The company provides specialized industry expertise
through multiclient market research, ongoing Marketrack(TM) projects, customer
loyalty tracking, facility-level procedure forecasting, and customized
solutions.

About Decision Resources, Inc.
Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers
best-in-class, high-value information, and insights on important sectors of
the health care industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make
informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at
www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.

All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information, contact:

Amy Krohn
Millennium Research Group
416-364-7776 x101
akrohn@mrg.net

Elizabeth Marshall
Decision Resources Inc.
781-296-2563
emarshall@dresources.com

SOURCE Millennium Research Group

Amy Krohn of Millennium Research Group, +1-416-364-7776 ext. 101,
akrohn@mrg.net; or Elizabeth Marshall of Decision Resources Inc.,
+1-781-296-2563, emarshall@dresources.com