The Brazilian Health Agency has prioritized looking into UV filters permitted in cosmetics in its recently published regulatory agenda for 2013/14.
Among other areas, Anvisa says it also plans to develop a list of substances that should not appear in certain consumer products.
The Agency is responsible for expanding discussions on various topics in the area of predictability, transparency and stability to the regulatory process of cosmetics in Brazil, and as a result has been implementing public consultations and prioritizing areas of concern in the latter months to fall better in line with European standards.
An effort to update its cosmetics regulations...
Back in April it announced it had new regulations restricting the use of four substances in cosmetic products including lead acetate, pyrogallol, formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde, ingredients that it had been looking at making significant changes to since January 2012.
Under the new rules, lead acetate with regards to hair dyes should not exceed a maximum concentration of 0.6 percent, and 5 percent for pyrogallol and formaldehyde and paraformaldehyde are substances currently banned in Brazil as aerosol preservatives, but are being permitted only as a preservative in oral hygiene and other cosmetic products at maximum concentrations of 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent.
Over the summer ANVISA placed on public consultation the technical regulation of Mercosur, which deals with substances that cannot be used in toiletries, cosmetics and perfumes.
A proposal for the new tool was suggested to improve practices and procedures for public consultation and monitoring mechanisms and consumer participation in the processes of decision making, such as the deployment of open meetings of the Board.
Thus, it is expected that this new tool will respond to society's needs for greater transparency of the suggestions received and encourage their participation.