ICMAD Supports Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act

ICMAD, the Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors Association, joins the International Fragrance Association North America (IFRA), Professional Beauty Association (PBA), Direct Selling Association (DSA), and the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), all members of the Safe Cosmetics Alliance, in supporting the introduction by Representative Leonard Lance (R-NJ) of the “Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act of 2012,” H.R. 4395.

This bill will modernize federal oversight of cosmetics and personal care products, currently one of the safest product categories regulated by the FDA. H.R. 4395 builds on that strong record. H.R. 4395 provides the FDA with the authority to create national standards for the review of cosmetic ingredient safety that permits participation by all stakeholders. The bill also will transform the FDA’s voluntary facility and product ingredient registration programs as well as adverse event reporting and make them mandatory. We believe this enhanced authority will provide greater transparency for all stakeholders, which inevitably leads to greater trust and certainty for consumers, the regulated business community, and the FDA.

We also recognize the legislation that was recently introduced by Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Congressman John Dingell (D-MI). Congressman Pallone has met with members of ICMAD and has visited ICMAD member facilities in New Jersey. We look forward to working with Congressmen Pallone, Dingell and Lance to achieve a bipartisan bill that modernizes cosmetic regulations. We will work together to ensure the bill provides the certainty, transparency, and uniformity needed to maintain the level of trust and integrity consumers and the FDA have come to expect from the cosmetic industry and that provides the level of consistency necessary to foster growth in an industry which personifies the American dream. Our small and medium business members represent the American entrepreneurial spirit that starts from ideas that grows into multimillion dollar enterprises, which build good jobs here in the United States. Providing growth opportunities for these companies is a particular concern for ICMAD.

Jack Black CEO Curran Dandurand, who recently testified before the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said, ”We support the modernization of the FDA laws that create a national standard for cosmetics. This will protect consumer health and safety and provide clear direction and certainty for the regulated companies and the regulators.”

ICMAD President/CEO Pam Busiek stated, “This bill is a major step forward in increasing transparency at the FDA and also builds on the industry’s record of being one of the safest product categories regulated by FDA. We salute Representative Lance in recognizing the needs to update the regulation of personal care products as well as the need for national uniformity.”

ICMAD is a non-profit trade association that was founded in 1974 to educate and provide programs and services that are designed to assist the small to midsized creative, innovative cosmetic entrepreneurs and to help them succeed in the rapidly changing, highly competitive cosmetics and personal care industries. ICMAD currently has more than 650 small to medium sized company members. ICMAD provides a series of educational events to assist members in understanding and complying with the laws and regulations governing cosmetics and personal care products. These also help member better understand industry best practices in safety standards as applied to all aspects of manufacturing, distributing and selling cosmetic and personal care products.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Marilyn Mages, ICMAD Communication / Marketing Coordinator at 847-991-4499, ext 106 or mmages@icmad.org.