"The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act empowers the FDA to recall harmful cosmetics. Advocates want to know why manufacturers still don’t have to prove their products are safe before they’re sold to millions of consumers."
"In the arcane and often seemingly impenetrable bureaucracy of the U.S. government, few agencies have as broad of a mandate to keep the American people safe as the Food and Drug Administration.
In addition to protecting members of the public from harm when it comes to what they eat and the pharmaceuticals they consume, the agency is also empowered to regulate an eclectic list of products, including microwave ovens, tooth fillings, bedpans and lasers.
But for 85 years, one commonly used class of items has managed to avoid almost any significant changes to the way the FDA regulates it—cosmetics, personal care and beauty products.
Indeed, until the passage of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, or MoCRA, in 2022, federal guidelines around the use of chemicals in the production of beauty products had not undergone any meaningful updates in six decades. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration’s relatively limited authority over beauty products is still largely defined by the terms of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, a law enacted in 1938."
Victoria St. Martin reports for Inside Climate News November 27, 2023.
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