-
Are Your Cosmetics Intended for Use as Drugs? FDA Warning
-
4 Replies
-
Why? Are they “protecting” the pharmaceutical industry? Or what? Please don’t tell me it is to “protect consumers” because I don’t believe it for a moment. It must be money.
-
That really doesn’t fly and is more in the realm of paranoia.
The FDA has a great deal more oversight for OTC products and prescription products. Believe me, if you ever work in these sectors you will not believe for a moment that the FDA is protecting the Pharmaceutical Industry.
These actions are in fact coming about due to actions on the other end of the market, the home crafters starting their new lines and “natural” lines. There are numerous cases where these lines have over stepped the line with aggressive marketing claims. Just read the companies cited and their claims.
The line between drugs and Cosmetics is important since many of the OTC actives have a greater potential for adverse incidents. This law hearkens back to some of the abuses in our past, especially in the area of patent medicine. Nobody wants to go back to the days of “snake oil.” These regulations serve a purpose to hold us accountable.
Lastly, anyone who has ever interacted with the FDA directly (an audit for example) will agree that the FDA is not heinous and evil, but rather they have a true desire to get people to comply. In my experience at least, every FDA audit has been non confrontational and a learning experience.
-
@Microformulation: My problem with this is that there is plenty of evidence that some products DO work. After seeing the results of the vitamin C active on our testers I am (and they are) in no doubt. Yet such products are banned from use by USA consumers - except in the case of mega corporations who can afford to pay enormous amounts for elaborate proof testing. The FDA are working to prevent innovation in my opinion, and simultaneously helping big manufacturers at the expense of small ones.
-
Having some perspective from the pharmaceutical end I believe you are both right in your own respects.
The standards set for pharmaceutical production are a nightmare and the execution by agencies FDA/EMA is unforgiving. From that point of view there really is no doubt as to those agencies protecting the quality of products and consumers’ safety. The risks of poor quality in pharmaceutics are too dangerous for it to be any other way.
So from a scientists/technician point of view FDA is a strict regulator.But what Belassi says is true on the political, not technological, level.
Regulation controls the flow of money.
So it’s a whole different story from a business owner’s side.The reason I personally quit pharmacy and came to cosmetics is a regulatory one. In cosmetics, the ‘mere mortal’ still has a chance. It’s not easy but it is still one of the few businesses that’s not political. It’s mostly just between us and them, producers and consumers.
And as long as it stays this way, careers will flourish.
Log in to reply.