Two New Expert Panelists Appointed to Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

The Personal Care Products Council is proud to announce the recent appointment of two new members to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. Daniel Liebler joins the panel as the current Director at the Jim Ayers Institute for Precancer Detection and Diagnosis, and Professor of Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Ronald Hill is an Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

“We’re delighted to have these two outstanding individuals join the CIR Expert Panel,” said Panel Chair Wilma F. Bergfeld, M.D. “With their extensive expertise in chemistry, both Dr. Hill and Dr. Liebler will undoubtedly prove invaluable additions to an already experienced team of diverse CIR panelists.”

CIR provides an additional layer of safety to existing FDA oversight and regulation by thoroughly reviewing and assessing the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics worldwide. Founded more than 30 years ago, CIR is an independent, nonprofit program with a panel of world-renowned scientists and physicians. Members of the Expert Panel hail from leading scientific and medical institutions and are experts in disciplines that include, dermatology, toxicology and pathology — and now, chemistry, bringing the total number of panel members to nine. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America participate in the program, serving as liaison members. Members are independent, have no financial involvement with the industry, and are subject to the same conflict of interest rules as FDA Advisory Committee Members.

The CIR gathers published and unpublished safety data for review and publishes the results in the open, peer-reviewed scientific literature. By year end, the panel estimates to have completed the review of more than 1,500 personal care products ingredients, representing a majority of ingredients used to formulate cosmetics today. CIR starts with most important and common ingredients and will closely evaluate additional ingredients each year.

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Cosmeticsinfo.org Collects Three Awards

The Personal Care Products Council accepted the top award in the Web site category for its in-depth consumer information web site, www.CosmeticsInfo.org, at PR News’ Nonprofit PR Awards luncheon recently at the National Press Club.  Presented by the leading industry publication PRNews, the nonprofit PR Awardsare judged by a blue-chip panel of communications experts and given to applicants who demonstrate “best practices” in the nonprofit communications arena.

The Council was presented two other awards earlier this year, both recognizing CosmeticsInfo.org.  This past October, the Council accepted an Award of Excellence from the International Association of Business Communicators Silver Inkwell Awards Competition, at an evening ceremony in Arlington, VA.  The Council also beat out more than 1,250 applicants to receive the Bronze Award from the League of American Communications Professionals for the “Science of Safety” video featured on the site.

“We are so proud of the recognition that CosmeticsInfo.org has received since its launch late last year,” said Council President & CEO Pamela G. Bailey. “Our ultimate goal with this Web site was to create an accessible, unbiased resource for consumers and members of the media who want the facts about cosmetic ingredients and the science behind personal care products.  To be recognized by the communications community is an honor and a reflection of the success of CosmeticInfo.org.”

CosmeticsInfo.orgprovides scientifically based, in-depth information on ingredient safety and the safety assessment processes used on cosmetics and personal care products.

Since its launch in November 2007, CosmeticsInfo.org has had visitors from more than 14 countries around the world, including India, Brazil, France, Germany, Australia and Canada. Visitors will find numerous links to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and to other independent, authoritative bodies, as well as references to scientific research — all in a user-friendly format.

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