THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released public health warnings against the purchase and use of five cosmetic products that allegedly contain banned ingredients.
In its advisories, the FDA told the public not to purchase the following products: Skinwhite® Powerwhitening® Whitening Lotion Instant White SPF 20, Skinwhite® Powerwhitening® Whitening Lotion Kojic Acid SPF 20, Beauché Clarifying Solution, Brilliant Skin Essentials Whitening Facial Toner, and Droplets of Nature Lift & Correct Rejuvenating Toner, as they were “tested positive for the presence of Hydroquinone.”
Hydroquinone, according to FDA, is an ingredient that is not allowed to be part of a cosmetic as per Annex II Part 1 of the Asean Cosmetic Directive.
“Products containing Hydroquinone shall be classified as home remedy, over-the-counter, or prescription drug depending on the amount present as per Administrative Order No. 13 s. 1999,” it said.
The agency also said that the use of these products can pose potential health hazards to the consuming public and may result in adverse reactions, including but not limited to skin irritation, itchiness, anaphylactic shock and organ failure.
“The public is also advised to be vigilant against cosmetic products that might not be duly notified with FDA. Always check if a cosmetic product has been notified with FDA before purchasing it by making use of the embedded search feature of the FDA website accessible at www.fda.gov.ph,” it said.
All concerned establishments, the agency added, are warned not to distribute the above-identified violative cosmetic products, otherwise regulatory actions and sanctions shall be strictly pursued.
The FDA also requested all local government units and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the said products are not sold or made available in their localities or areas of jurisdiction.
But Splash Corporation, maker of SkinWhite brand, denied FDA's statement, saying it has always been compliant with the agency's regulations.
"All our products are and have always been compliant to FDA regulations and are supported with both internal and independent laboratory tests that will attest to its high quality standard," Vicci M. Tomas, president and COO of Splash Corporation, said in a statement.
Splash assured the public that it remains committed to providing "only safe and effective products for its consumers, and encourage everyone to be wary of fake products circulating in the market and to ensure that they buy only from trusted stores and sources," the statement added. (SunStar Cagayan de Oro)