Feinstein, Collins bill would overhaul decades-old rules to protect consumers, regulate personal care products industry

Washington—Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) released the following joint statement on the need to pass the Personal Care Products Safety Act (S.726) to modernize 81-year-old consumer safety regulations:

“Today is the 81st anniversary of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act being signed into law, the last time safety rules for personal care products were updated. The law hasn’t kept up with the pace of new products created over the past eight decades, and that puts everyone’s health at risk.

“That’s why we must pass the Personal Care Products Safety Act, our bill to modernize regulations for the $60 billion personal care products industry. From shampoo to deodorant, baby lotion to makeup, these products are used every day on our bodies. Americans have the right to know if they’re safe.

“Recent news that children’s makeup tested positive for asbestos, a known carcinogen, shows why this bill is so important. When the FDA first asked Claire’s, the national chain selling the makeup, to issue a recall, the company initially refused, and the agency lacked the authority to order one. Additional products at Claire’s and another retailer, Beauty Plus, also tested positive for asbestos this month. 

“Our bipartisan bill would fix this gaping hole in our law. It requires the FDA to review ingredients for safety, creates better labeling standards so consumers can know what’s in their products and gives the FDA the authority to recall products that are unsafe.

“The bill has broad support from both industry leaders and public health groups. These companies and organizations understand we can’t continue to rely on outdated laws passed during the Roosevelt administration to keep Americans safe. It’s time to update personal care product safety and bring our laws into the 21st century.”

The Personal Care Products Safety Act would:

• Require the FDA to evaluate a minimum of five ingredients found in personal care products per year to determine their safety and appropriate use.
  
  
• Provide FDA the authority to recall personal care products that threaten consumer safety.
  
  
• Provide FDA the authority to require labeling of products that include ingredients not appropriate for children and those that should be professionally administered.
  
  
• Require complete label information to be posted online, including ingredients and product warnings.
  
  
• Require companies to provide contact information on their products for consumers and report serious adverse events to FDA.
  
  
• Require manufacturers to register annually with FDA and provide the agency with information on the ingredients used in their personal care products.
  
  
• Direct FDA to issue regulations on Good Manufacturing Practices for personal care products.

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