To New Beginnings…

Lezlee Westine
President & CEO, Personal Care Products Council

We will soon celebrate a new decade, just as the Personal Care Products Council’s (PCPC) 125th anniversary year comes to an end. So much has happened over the last decade and the last year. I remain incredibly proud to be a part of this industry and of the work of PCPC’s staff on behalf of our member companies and consumers around the world.

Our organization advocates for modern government policies, sound science and global access, while working to strengthen public trust in the beauty and personal care industry.

In 2019, we continued to work with policymakers and advocacy groups to modernize state and federal laws. I’ve shared my perspective on the importance of modernizing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s regulatory structure for cosmetics. Our Executive Vice President of Global Advocacy, Francine Lamoriello, has written about how the Humane Cosmetics Act brings us closer to eliminating the need for animal testing with a historic agreement reached with the Humane Society. You may have read a statement from our Chief Scientist, Alex Kowcz, on the critical public health benefit of sunscreens or testimony from Dr. Jay Ansell, Vice President of Cosmetic Programs, which he delivered before California’s assembly committee on environmental safety. From cosmetics reform and animal testing to sunscreens and ingredient safety, we’ve been actively engaging leaders around the world to ensure policies are rooted in the best available science and to reiterate our commitment to communities far and wide.

We have also made investments to advance our industry’s approach to sustainability—an important industry-wide initiative that our members will hear about during our Annual Meeting next March. Our companies are committed to creating a more beautiful world. PCPC’s sustainability program honors that commitment through our focus on four key areas: dynamic economic growth, exemplary citizenship, environmental stewardship, and ethical and transparent practices.

We value the important role that cosmetics and personal care products have played in the lives of families for generations, and we remain dedicated to advocating for our industry’s ability to deliver safe, quality, and innovative products that enhance consumers health and well-being.

2020 will be an exciting year for the beauty and personal care industry. I look forward to continuing our work together.

Happy Holidays.

More from PCPC

Statement by Lezlee Westine, President and CEO Personal Care Products Council on the Confirmation of Stephen Hahn, M.D., as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: 

Jewel Jones (202) 454-0302, jonesj@personalcarecouncil.org
Jamie Kurke (202) 454-0316, kurkej@personalcarecouncil.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. — “The Personal Care Products Council congratulates Stephen Hahn, M.D., on his confirmation as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Hahn is well qualified for the position and brings a strong reputation for protecting public health and advancing scientific innovation.

“Consumer and product safety are top priorities for cosmetics and personal care products companies, with careful and thorough scientific research and development serving as the foundation for everything they do.  Our products are among the safest product categories regulated by FDA. Each year, our member companies invest nearly $3 billion in scientific research and development. As a result of this work, approximately 2,000 new products are introduced each year, providing consumers with a wide range of safe, quality and innovative choices. Companies take their responsibility for consumer and product safety very seriously.

“We share Dr. Hahn’s commitment to public health and safety, while also supporting innovation that enables companies to continue to provide safe and effective products that use the latest research and technological advances.

“We congratulate Dr. Hahn on his confirmation, and we look forward to working with him to ensure that well-crafted, science-based regulations enhance our industry’s ability to innovate and further strengthen consumer confidence in the products they trust and use every day.”

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For more information on cosmetics and their ingredients, please visit www.cosmeticsinfo.org.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council is the leading national trade association representing the global cosmetic and personal care products industry. Founded in 1894, PCPC’s 600 member companies manufacture, distribute, and supply the vast majority of finished personal care products marketed in the U.S. As the makers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on every day, from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance, personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.

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Humane Cosmetics Act Brings Us Closer to Eliminating Need for Animal Testing for Cosmetics

Francine Lamoriello
EVP, Global Strategies, Personal Care Products Council

It’s often said that the most challenging part of a marathon is the final mile. The goal of eliminating animal testing is a similar journey – one that cosmetics and personal care products companies have been at the forefront of for more than 40 years. The industry has significantly reduced the use of animals in product safety testing through substantial investments in research and development of alternative methods and strategies that do not rely on animals. We are proud of the progress that has been made so far and are committed to the goal of completely eliminating the need for animal testing to assure cosmetic product safety.

Widespread use of non-animal approaches throughout our supply chains is an important and necessary goal to assure our vision. In an effort to harmonize and encourage global adoption of modern approaches to safety assessment, the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) works closely with international regulators in the International Cooperation on Cosmetic Regulation (ICCR), and we encourage regulatory acceptance of non-animal approaches in every country where our members sell their products. We continue to work closely with our partners, including Cruelty Free International (CFI) and the Humane Society of the United States to advance policies that support improvements in legislation, regulation and science.

We reached a critical milestone in 2019 with the introduction in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives of the Humane Cosmetics Act. The bill prohibits new animal testing of cosmetics and their ingredients and prohibits the sale in the United States of cosmetics that have been tested on animals. Specifically, the legislation:

• Prohibits animal testing and bans the use of evidence from animal testing to establish the safety of a cosmetic or cosmetic ingredient unless there is no non-animal alternative method or strategy recognized by any Federal agency or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for the relevant safety endpoints and other very strict criteria are met.

• Requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to promote scientific advancements in this area.

• Bans cosmetics manufacturers from including “cruelty free” claims on their packaging if animal testing data was used to establish the safety of the product or any of its ingredients.

• Creates a national uniform standard for animal welfare.

Eliminating animal testing in an ambitious goal. Working with animal welfare groups and members of Congress to enact this important legislation helps us protect animal welfare while supporting the continued development of safe and innovative cosmetics and personal care products.

You can read more about the legislation here in a bill summary developed by the Personal Care Products Council and the Humane Society of the United States.

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Statement by Linda Loretz, Ph.D., Chief Toxicologist, Personal Care Products Council on Potential Link between Hair Dye and Straighteners and Breast Cancer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:   

Lisa Powers (202) 466-0489, powersl@personalcarecouncil.org
Jewel Jones (202) 454-0302, jonesj@personalcarecouncil.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – “A recent study published in the International Journal of Cancer reports on a possible association between hair dyes and straighteners and the risk of breast cancer. It is a fundamental principle of epidemiology that association is not the same as causation; one does not necessarily lead to the other.

“It is important to note that the study’s authors, Dale Sandler, Ph.D. and Alexandria White, Ph.D., researchers at the Epidemiology Branch of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), urged caution when interpreting the study results. They state, ‘we are exposed to many things that could potentially contribute to breast cancer, and it is unlikely that any single factor explains a woman’s risk.’ The authors went on to say, ‘researchers have been studying the possible link between hair dye and cancer for a long time, but results have been inconsistent.’

“The majority of the cohort studied were non-Hispanic white, well educated, and economically well off. Women recruited for the study were at higher risk for breast cancer.  While these women had no personal history of breast cancer, they had at least one sister who had breast cancer. Therefore, the conclusions of this study cannot necessarily be applied to the broader population. Clearly, further research is needed.

“The links in the study between hair dyes/straighteners and breast cancer are weak, and no association was seen between longer term use of permanent hair dye and breast cancer, regardless of duration of use.

“Hair dyes are one of the most thoroughly studied consumer products on the market. As with all cosmetics and personal care products, companies are required to substantiate the safety of hair dyes and straighteners and individual ingredients before marketing to consumers, and the labeling of those products must be truthful and not misleading.

“Consumers have a right to know the facts about the products and ingredients they use, however, they also have a right to understand. The Personal Care Products Council shares safety information on our science and safety website, www.cosmeticsinfo.org.”

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For more information on cosmetics and personal care products, please visit www.CosmeticsInfo.org.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) is the leading national trade association representing global cosmetics and personal care products companies. Founded in 1894, PCPC’s approximately 600 member companies manufacture, distribute and supply the vast majority of finished personal care products marketed in the U.S. As the makers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on and trust every day – from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance – personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.

 

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Statement by Lezlee Westine, President and CEO on the Introduction of the Cosmetic Safety Enhancement Act of 2019 by Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Contacts:              

Lisa Powers (202) 466-0489, powersl@personalcarecouncil.org
Jewel Jones (202) 454-0302, jonesj@personalcarecouncil.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. — “The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) and its member companies stand united in our longstanding commitment to work with all stakeholders to modernize federal regulatory oversight for cosmetics and personal care products. We appreciate Chairman Frank Pallone’s (D-NJ) leadership in advancing a Committee process to solicit views from a diverse group of stakeholders for a more contemporary legislative framework for oversight of the cosmetics and personal care sector.

“The introduction of the Cosmetic Safety Enhancement Act of 2019 is an important step forward for cosmetics reform, and we intend to work with the Committee as this process advances to finalize a bipartisan bill that can ultimately, become law – a goal we have all shared for more than a decade. As part of our ongoing commitment toward modernizing the regulatory system for our sector, PCPC and its member companies support a set of principles to guide legislative action.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Committee to advance legislation that:

  • Ensures national uniformity for consumers and companies;
  • Establishes a comprehensive, streamlined regulatory framework that facilitates FDA’s ability to implement and enforce and does not create impediments to compliance for small and medium sized businesses;
  • Aligns cosmetics oversight with FDA authority and practice in other regulated areas, appropriately calibrated for the excellent safety record of cosmetics products;
  • Creates an FDA cosmetic ingredient review process that is meaningful and workable; and
  • Implements a user fee program that ensures FDA has the resources it needs to adequately execute its new authorities, appropriately reflecting shared responsibility between public funding through appropriations and industry support, and with clear metrics for measuring progress.

“We strongly believe that well-crafted, science-based reforms will enhance our industry’s ability to innovate and further strengthen consumer confidence in the products they trust and use every day.”

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For more information on cosmetics and personal care products, please visit www.CosmeticsInfo.org.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) is the leading national trade association representing global cosmetics and personal care products companies. Founded in 1894, PCPC’s approximately 600 member companies manufacture, distribute and supply the vast majority of finished personal care products marketed in the U.S. As the makers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on and trust every day – from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance – personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.

More from PCPC