Cosmetic Regulation Reform Moves Closer to Reality

Who says nothing gets done in Washington these days? This week the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee advanced the Cosmetic Safety Enhancement Act of 2020 (HR 5279). The measure now moves to committee.


The announcement was met with pleasure by both industry trade groups and non-government organizations. For its part, the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) and its member companies are proud of their longstanding commitment to work with all stakeholders to modernize federal regulatory oversight for cosmetics and personal care products, according to the Council.


“We very much appreciate Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ranking Member Greg Walden (R-OR) and Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL) for their leadership to update the regulatory system for the cosmetics and personal care sector,” PCPC said in a statement. “We also appreciate members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee for advancing the Cosmetic Safety Enhancement Act of 2020 (HR 5279) in a bipartisan manner. In particular, we are pleased with the amendment addressing cosmetic safety provisions for women and girls of color.”


PCPC also noted that as part of efforts toward cosmetics reform, it and its member companies support a set of principles to guide bipartisan legislative action, many of which mirror protections applied to other products regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).


“Our commitment to reform remains strong. We look forward to working through the remaining issues with Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Walden, Congressman Shimkus, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and other stakeholders to create a more modernized regulatory system for the personal care products sector—a system that advances innovation, safety and consumer confidence,” PCPC concluded.


The subcommittee's effort was applauded by the Environmental Working Group as well.


“Chemicals and contaminants linked to serious health risks can be found in food, water and many everyday products. However, no category of consumer products is subject to less government oversight than cosmetics and other personal care products. Although many of the chemicals and contaminants in cosmetics likely pose little risk, repeat exposure to some chemicals and contaminants used in cosmetics and other personal care products has been linked to serious health problems, including cancer,” said Scott Faber, SVP-government affairs, EWG. “Since 2009, 617 cosmetics manufacturers have reported using 93 chemicals that have been linked to cancer, birth defects or reproductive harm in more than 81,000 products.


“By voting to advance Rep. Pallone’s bill today, House leaders have taken an important and historic first step. It’s been more than 80 years since a committee of Congress last voted to update cosmetics law. A law enacted in 1938 to prohibit the use of ‘filthy, putrid, or decomposed’ substances is woefully out of date. Simply put, cosmetics law has not kept pace with changes in regulatory science and consumer expectations. We applaud Rep. Pallone for continuing to make reform of our broken cosmetics safety law a priority.”