AnimalVoicesNews ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> Source/Letters: ENN <feedback @ enn.com> (close spaces) Link: <http:// www.ens-newswire.com/ens/sep2007/2007-09-28-02.asp>
Note: Perhaps we should keep an eye out on this discovery. While we know that so many animals died to prove the chemicals unsafe, no doubt there will be a resurgence of knee-jerk reactions to re-test and re-test again. Like it helped. 447 Cosmetics on U.S. Shelves Unsafe When Used as Directed WASHINGTON, DC, September 28, 2007 (ENS) - As officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, and the cosmetics industry traveled to Europe to discuss regulatory obstacles to the cosmetics trade between countries, a nonprofit research organization released the results of a new investigation that found hundreds of cosmetics sold in the United States contain chemicals the industry itself has determined to be unsafe, even when used as directed. Many of the cosmetic products on the shelves of U.S. stores contain chemicals that other countries have banned, the Environmental Working Group, EWG, report shows. A cornucopia of cosmetics on U.S. store shelves (Photo credit unknown) These banned chemicals include hydrogen peroxide in contact lens cleaners sold in the United States, formaldehyde in mascara, selenium in shampoo and moisturizer, and lead acetate in hair coloring. The EWG was prepared to present the results of its investigation to the meeting held Thursday in Brussels, but was excluded from that meeting along with all public health, consumer and environmental organizations. On August 30, the FDA denied a request made by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics - of which EWG is a founding member - to attend the Brussels meeting. The agency stated that, "Everyone has agreed that we should stick with our current Terms of Reference that provides for an industry association-regulator dialogue. If that changes at any point, we will certainly let you know." In a letter to Andrew C. von Eschenbach, MD, the head of the federal agency, EWG Executive Director Richard Wiles says the Food and Drug Administration "misrepresented" the Terms of Reference to exclude the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. "Instead of precluding attendance by anyone but regulators and industry representatives," Wiles said in the letter, "the Terms of Reference states, 'it is recognized that successful implementation requires the input of a constructive dialogue with the cosmetics¹ industry trade associations and potentially other stakeholders," and that the second day of the meeting can include dialogue with "in certain cases, interested parties.'" Wiles wrote, "Contrary to the exclusion asserted by FDA, the document provides ample leeway for public health, consumer and environmental groups to attend; the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, EWG and other groups who research and advocate for the safety of personal care products certainly qualify as "interested parties" and "other stakeholders" in this process." "It's an outrage that the FDA would shut consumers out of this important process," said Janet Nudelman, coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, "especially since they've set a place for the cosmetics industry at the table." The federal government tests drugs for safety, but does not test cosmetics. (Photo credit unknown) Cosmetics do not have to be approved as safe by the Food and Drug Administration before they are sold. As a result, they may contain dangerous ingredients banned in Europe and Japan or chemicals deemed unsafe for specific uses by their own industry scientists, said Jane Houlihan, EWG vice president for research. Nearly 90 percent of ingredients in personal care products have not been assessed for safety by anyone, so we are not sure what regulatory obstacles the FDA and industry need to minimize, said Houlihan. In its analysis of the ingredients in more than 23,000 products, EWG discovered that 751 different products - one of every 30 products sold in the United States - do not meet one or more industry or governmental cosmetics safety standards. The analysis found that 383 products contain ingredients that are prohibited for use in cosmetics in Canada, Japan, or the European Union. The EWG found 447 products that industry safety panels have found unsafe when used as directed. Among these products are 86 that were found unsafe for all product applications by the U.S based Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR, an industry-funded panel, and the International Fragrance Association. The FDA has no authority to require that cosmetics be tested for safety before they are sold, although the agency does have the authority to test drugs and food additives before sale. While the Cosmetic Ingredient Review is funded by the industry and is not a government health agency, EWG research shows that this "self-regulated industry routinely fails to adhere to their own safety panel's advice and to heed the health warnings in cosmetic safety standards set in other countries," the group said. The EWG is calling on the federal agency to ensure that all personal care products on store shelves are safe for consumers and to guarantee that meetings regarding cosmetics safety policy are open and accessible to the public. The results of EWG's investigation are online at: http://www.ewg.org/node/22610. Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2007. All rights reserved. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> Judy Reed AnimalVoices Speaking For Animals & Their Environment This is distibuted for nonprofit research and educational purposes only. [Ref.http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] You are invited to read past articles and alerts, subscribe, or unsubscribe at: AnimalVoicesNews: http://groups-beta.google.com/group/AnimalVoicesNews AnimalVoicesAlerts:http://groups-beta.google.com/group/AnimalVoicesAlerts BushWatchersNews: http://groups-beta.google.com/groups?q=bushwatchernews&start=0&scoring=d To unsubscribe, send email to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
