Today in Washington D.C. at 10am (EST), cosmetic industry stakeholders, EWG and FDA will testify as part of a legislative hearing on “Building Consumer Confidence by Empowering FDA to Improve Cosmetic Safety.” 

You can watch the live stream here:
 
The hearing will be led by Chairwoman Anna Eshoo and Ranking Member Michael Burgess.
 
Today’s witnesses will include:
• Susan Mayne, Ph.D., director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition,  US Food and Drug Administration 
• M. Isabelle Chaudry, J.D., senior policy manager, National Women's Health Network
• Scott Farber, senior vice president, government affairs, Environmental Working Group
• Leigh O'Donnell, executive director, The Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild
• Gregg Renfrew, founder and CEO of Beautycounter, LLC

In prepared remarks released ahead of the hearing, Renfrew states:  “I will focus my testimony on what we believe is critical to crafting cosmetic safety laws that truly protect U.S. consumers, while simultaneously advancing the beauty industry.”

Renfrew’s statement continues, “The current absence of modern, federal safety regulations governing the beauty industry force businesses like Beautycounter to make their own determinations about the safety of products. And though mission-driven companies are integral to social innovation, there is inherent risk of comprehensive change not being adopted in the absence of legislative reform. As companies currently market in their own ways, inconsistent definitions and standards cause confusion, resulting in a lack of consumer confidence. A uniform, safety standard is paramount to maintain consumer trust.”