Personal Care Products Council CEO & President Pamela G. Bailey Testifies on FDA...

Personal Care Products Council CEO & President Pamela G. Bailey Testifies on
FDA Cosmetic Regulation Before U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Combination of FDA Authority and Industry Consumer Safety Initiatives Make
Cosmetics Safest Category Regulated by FDA

WASHINGTON, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Pamela G. Bailey, CEO
and president of the Personal Care Products Council, appeared before the
Subcommittee on Health of the U.S. Committee on Energy and Commerce to discuss
the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act Legislation on Device and
Cosmetic Safety. Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products
Council, formerly the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, is the
leading national trade association representing the global cosmetic and
personal care products industry.
"Consumer safety has always been the number one priority of our cosmetics
and personal care products companies, and our continued commitment to safety
has made cosmetics and personal care products the safest category of products
regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration," Bailey told the
committee.
Of the 11 billion personal care products that are sold annually, an
average of less than 150 adverse reactions are reported-most of which are
minor skin irritations. Topically-applied and not ingested, cosmetics have
the least potential to impact human health of any FDA-regulated product
category. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) of 1938,
it is crime to market an unsafe cosmetic product in the United States.
Cosmetics products imported into the U.S. are subject to the same laws and
regulations as those produced in the U.S. They must be safe and contain no
prohibited ingredients, and all labeling and packaging must be in compliance
with U.S. regulations. All colors must be listed and pre-approved by FDA, and
a number of color additives must be batch certified by FDA. If the product
has an intended use that causes it to be considered an Over-the-Counter (OTC)
drug, it must comply with the regulations for drugs, including establishment
registration and drug listing.
"Product safety in a global marketplace is not only a matter of law for
our members but also the primary commitment for each of them and for our trade
association," said Pamela Bailey. "The Council is a science-based,
safety-first organization with a decades-long track record of product safety
initiatives that go beyond the requirements of the law."
For nearly 40 years, personal care product companies have invested
millions of dollars through the Council in additional safety programs and
initiatives to supplement FDA regulations. These initiatives include:
-- The FDA Company Registration Program (VCRP) through which FDA collects
information on manufacturers, packers, and distributors of cosmetic
products in commercial distribution in the U.S.;
-- The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) -- an independent expert panel of
scientists and physicians that evaluate safety data for the most
commonly-used cosmetic ingredients;
-- The Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary that has been cited by the FDA as
the primary source of ingredient names for FDA regulations requiring
cosmetic ingredient labeling;
-- Technical Guidelines for the industry that provide information on
microbiological testing, quality assurance, and safety testing;
-- Consumer Commitment Code that requires signing member companies to go
beyond the requirements of the law by agreeing to open their scientific
data and information to FDA scrutiny, to report to FDA serious and
unexpected adverse consumer experiences with a cosmetic product, and to
register their manufacturing establishments and formulas with the FDA;
-- The Establishment of International Consumer Safety Standards through
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) program;
-- ICCR, a Global Harmonization of Regulations process, is an official
dialogue of international cosmetics regulatory authorities joined by
the cosmetics industry trade associations;
-- The Import Safety Committee, created by the Council last year to
benchmark the industry's best practices and policy objectives with
respect to import safety with the goal of developing additional
industry guidelines;
-- Consumer Information Website, CosmeticsInfo.org, launched in 2007, the
site provides consumers with easy access to in-depth, scientifically-
based information about cosmetic and personal care products and
ingredients.

"We appreciate this opportunity to work with the Committee to continue to
ensure the safety of consumers in America," Bailey said.
Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council is the
leading national trade association representing the global cosmetic and
personal care products industry. Founded in 1894, the Council's more than 600
member companies manufacture, distribute, and supply the vast majority of
finished personal care products marketed in the U.S. As the makers of a
diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on everyday, from
sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance,
personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product
safety, quality and innovation.
SOURCE Personal Care Products Council

Kathleen Dezio, +1-202-454-0302 or Lisa Powers, +1-202-466-0489, both of
Personal Care Products Council