French FDA to Finance Studies on Exposure to Cosmetics

ANSM (Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé, formerly Afssaps) will fully finance two studies on cosmetics, to be published by the end of 2015. The first study is already underway, focusing on the link between exposure to cosmetics for professionals (hairdressers, beauticians, workers in factories, etc.) and reproductive anomalies. The cost is estimated at nearly €555,000, and epidemiologist Ronan Garlantezec, from Ecole des hautes études en santé publique in Rennes (Brittany), is coordinating the study.

The second study will undertake a probabilistic evaluation of the exposure of the French population to cosmetics—in relation to Article 2 of the Cosmetics Directive, on safety. It is presented as a first of its kind, at a cost of nearly €860,000. The study coordinator is Alain-Claude Roudot, an expologist (exposure specialist) at West Brittany University (in Brest).

2013 Marks Regulatory Milestone in Europe

In 2013, there will be a number of changes for the beauty industry due to regulatory deadlines. The European Regulation on Cosmetic Products (EC No 1223/2009), which will replace the Cosmetics Directive, will be fully implemented on July 11, 2013. In fact, its application began in 2010 with the new CMR (Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Repro-toxic) substances classification, followed in January 2012 by the start of the electronic notification of products (non-mandatory until July 2013). The notification of nanomaterials begins in January 2013.

The burden is expected to be extremely heavy for companies, especially for small- and medium-size enterprises, and it is not difficult to predict that not all of them will be able to fully comply.

The global ban on animal testing is another major issue, scheduled for March 11, 2013 by the 7th Amendment to the Cosmetics Directive. General consensus is that this deadline is not scientifically possible, despite the massive effort put forth in R&D, validation and acceptance (see the following item). It is not yet clear what the European Commission (EC) will decide, and there is the potential it might submit a legislative proposal to the European Parliament and Council in order to introduce a few exemptions.

Alternatives Test Methods: Pondered in Brussels

The 8th annual conference of the EPAA (European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing) was held Nov. 16, 2012, in Brussels, focusing on the “Development and Implementation of 3R Methodologies Through International Cooperation.” Created in 2005, the EPAA is a joint initiative of the European Commission, European trade associations (from seven industry sectors, including cosmetics) and individual companies. It aims at promoting the development, validation and acceptance of the 3Rs methods—replace, reduce, refine. Because of upcoming EC legislation (7th Amendment of the Cosmetics Directive), the beauty industry is struggling on arguably the most stringent “R,” replacement of animal testing.

French Society of Perfumers Celebrates 70 Years

Société Française des Parfumeurs (SFP) celebrated its 70th anniversary in Paris in September 2012, with 400 fragrance professionals gathered in celebration. Three hundred perfumers are among SFP’s 800 members, “representing half the noses in the world,” Patrick Saint-Yves, president, SFP, told the audience.

The event was also the opportunity to announce the winner of the 2012 International Perfumer-Creator award: Virginie Armand, perfumer at Argeville (Mougins, France), for her fragrance Le parfum, c’est la fête. She is the daughter of perfumer Michel Armand (formerly of Firmenich, IFF and Takasago).

Furthermore, SFP announced the creation of the International Circle of Perfumer-Creators, in order to better defend the perfumer profession, as well as the palette of natural ingredients. Additional information is available from GCI sister publication Perfumer & Flavorist magazine.

Claire Thévenin is a freelance journalist based in Paris. She has covered the beauty industry since 2005, specializing in European Union regulations.

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