On June 29, 2017, ANSM (French National Agency of Medicine and Health Products Safety) invited cosmetics safety assessors to their premises for an information and exchange meeting. It was an opportunity for both the supervisory authority and the industry to make an update and express their mutual expectations on a complex, but most sensitive issue, within the context of recurring media-covered controversies as regards the safety of cosmetic products and some of their ingredients.
This rather exceptional meeting was quite a success, as the cosmetics industry was invited – and that is not that frequent – to the inspection Agency’s premises ‘for it to pass on a few important messages and allow the industry to speak out’. In the public, there were safety assessors, of course, whether company employees or subcontractors, but also DGCCRF (French General Directorate for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Control) representatives in charge of cosmetics, and members of some of the industry’s professional associations.
Too many non-conformities in PIFs
ANSM Assistant Director General Christelle Ratignier-Carbonneil set the scene in her keynote speech. After reminding everyone that ANSM is the French competent authority for quality, safety, and efficacy issues as regards health products, including cosmetics, she explained the reasons behind the meeting.
‘As a competent authority, in collaboration with the DGCCRF, we must ensure all health product users can use their products confidently. The issue of confidence is a real challenge in today’s society, and it is extremely important that all players be aware of their responsibilities upstream, so that security can be guaranteed downstream. We are particularly committed to the quality of practices, and that is the reason why …
