Following the alert from the German BfR and the subsequent call for data, the European Commission mandated the SCCS to assess the safety of prostaglandins and analogue substances used in cosmetic products. The Scientific Committee has published its final Opinion. It was adopted by written procedure on 3 February 2022.
Background
In 2018, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) informed the European Commission that cosmetic products intended to promote the growth of eyelashes were increasingly available on the market. These eyelash growth treatments contain substances such as prostaglandins or their analogues.
According to the BfR’s Health assessment of eyelash growth treatments, the use of prostaglandins and their analogues as components of cosmetic products may include health risks for consumers.
In December 2019, the sub-working group on borderline products assessed this topic and considered that an SCCS safety evaluation of such ingredients would be useful. A call of data was launched in 2020.
During the call, contributions were provided on the safety of the following substances:
• Ethyl Tafluprostamide - CAS 1185851-52-8 (also known as Dechloro Dihydroxy Difluoro Ethylcloprostenolamide or DDDE), and
• Isopropyl Cloprostenate - CAS 157283-66-4
The Scientific Committee published its preliminary Opinion in October 2021.
For an exhaustive background information, see the articles
• European Commission calls for data on prostaglandins used in cosmetics, CosmeticOBS, 30 June 2020
• Prostaglandin analogues: request for the SCCS Opinion, CosmeticOBS, 1er February 2021
• Prostaglandin analogues: the SCCS preliminary Opinion, CosmeticOBS, 4 October 2021
This Opinion …
