Council Submits Letter to the FDA

The following letter was submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reaffirm industry’s committment to pursue an effective system of safety oversight for cosmetics.

Dear Commissioner Hamburg:

Thank you for your letter dated September 26, 2013 and for your personal commitment to continue to pursue an effective system of safety oversight for cosmetics. Our entire industry shares in that commitment.

Cosmetic and personal care products companies have a significant and long-standing commitment to product safety and scientific innovation – it is a commitment that is fundamental to our businesses. We provide many of the most trusted brands in beauty and personal care, and we take our responsibility to consumers very seriously – their trust is paramount. Furthermore, our commitment does not end here in the U.S. As global companies, we work to earn the trust and loyalty of consumers around the world.

As you know, our member companies along with our trade association, the Personal Care Products Council, have invested considerable time and resources to work with FDA staff toward a uniform national system of regulation for cosmetics, and industry has consistently advocated in Congress for increased funding for cosmetics oversight and updated cosmetics legislation. Let me personally assure you that our companies have not had a change of heart in their commitment to work with FDA, and we continue to operate in good faith. Our desire to find consensus and an agreement with the FDA is unwavering, and we hope to continue the dialogue to achieve our shared objective of one national uniform standard for cosmetics regulation.

We appreciate the opportunity to work directly with FDA, as we have done over the past nine months, and we remain committed to the Agency’s mission to protect public health through effective oversight.

I have the full commitment of our Board to continue our work with the Agency and with Congress on an agreement. We look forward to hearing from the Agency about rescheduling our meeting originally set for October 2. Thank you.

Sincerely,

  1. Scott Beattie

Chairman

Personal Care Products Council

Cc: Lezlee Westine, Personal Care Products Council

     Pamela Busiek, Independent Cosmetics Manufacturers and Distributors

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The Skin Cancer Foundation Honors Industry’s Commitment to Skin Cancer Education and Prevention–Personal Care Products Council Sunscreen Committee Receives Skin Sense Award for its Long Standing Work in the Fight against Skin Cancer

At its annual gala in New York City last night, The Skin Cancer Foundation honored the Personal Care Products Council’s Sunscreen Committee for its extensive work in educating the public on the importance of practicing a safe sun regimen, including daily use of sunscreens.  The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control agree that skin cancer is the leading preventable cancer, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that proper sunscreen use is a crucial step in the fight against skin cancer and premature skin aging.

The PCPC Sunscreen Committee was recognized for its work on the Skin Smart TM educational video series that offers an in-depth look at the role sunscreens play as part of an overall safe sun routine, and specifically for their interpretation of FDA’s new sunscreen labeling guidelines that were announced in December 2012.

“Tonight we recognize members of the Personal Care Products Council’s Sunscreen Committee for supporting The Skin Cancer Foundation’s mission of decreasing the incidence of skin cancer through public awareness and education,” said Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation, to an audience of approximately 400.

“It is a profound honor to accept this prestigious award on behalf of the Personal Care Products Council Sunscreen Committee.  The Committee’s goal is to ensure that sunscreen is treated in the same manner as seatbelts — put on automatically,” said Committee Chair Farah Ahmed, who accepted the award for the group.  “Our work, along with the Skin Cancer Foundation’s, is critical and we know it has already opened the eyes of many to the dangers of the sun,” said Ahmed.

“The Centers for Disease Control, The Skin Cancer Foundation, and health care professionals around the world all emphasize the safety of sunscreens and the importance of their use as part of a safe sun regimen.  The dangers of sun exposure are clear and universally recognized by public health professionals and dermatologists. The National Institutes of Health ‘Report on Carcinogens’ identifies solar UV radiation as a ‘known human carcinogen.’ A single bad burn as a child is known to increase the skin’s susceptibility to damage and skin cancer throughout life.

“We look forward to building on the Foundation’s advocacy efforts to help make sun safety a daily priority for all,” said Ahmed.

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