The Government is contemplating to include more cosmetic items under the purview of the Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Act with a view to further streamlining the sector and containing the side effects of cosmetic goods on health of the people.
The proposal is to include six more items under the Schedule S of the D&C Rules and the process for the same is in the final stages, it is learnt. With the inclusion, the total number of regulated cosmetic items would go to 35.
The items to be included are (IS 14318:1996) Liquid foundation make-up, (IS 15152:2002) Cold Wax-Hair remover, (IS 15153:2002) face pack, (IS 15154:2002) Kajal, (IS15205:2005) Oxidation Hair Dyes (Emulsion type) and (IS 15608:2005) cream bleach.
The standards for cosmetics to be included under the Schedule S are prepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and such items covered under the Schedule need to confirm to the specifications under the D&C Rules.
The BIS has recommended the inclusion of six items and the recent meeting of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) is learnt to have given the approval for the same. The draft notification of rules for the inclusion of the same is expected to come any time, sources said.
At present there are 29 cosmetic items under the Schedule S, making them mandatory to go by the rules. The Government has already published draft notification of one item - Sindoor (IS:14649:1999) in January this year for comments, after getting the nod from the DTAB.
With six more items under the Schedule, the total number of regulated cosmetic items will be 35. The government has been taking several steps to improve quality of cosmetics as there were frequent concerns about the health impacts of many cosmetic goods in the country.
The matter was first considered by the DTAB in February and the panel that Schedule S to the D&C Rules may be amended to include the said cosmetics along with the their standards for the purpose of regulating their quality under the D&C Rules, 1945. Now, the recent DTAB meeting has given the final approval.