Reforms Follow Two-Decade Push

Murray says she’s been “focused on fixing” the problem of the FDA’s limited enforcement authority to prevent harmful chemicals from reaching those products.

“FDA simply has not had the authority it needs to meaningfully regulate these products. The industry has been left to regulate itself. When asbestos was found in makeup products sold to young people just a few years back, the FDA itself said it didn’t have the tools it needed to keep people safe – that the safety of cosmetics was largely up to their makers,” she said.

Now, she’s optimistic on the impact of the changes.

“I pushed hard to get these reforms across the finish line and I am so glad that last year we finally passed key reforms to bring FDA’s cosmetics regulation into the 21st century,” Murray said.

She noted cosmetics regulation modernization is a fight she and her colleagues began in the late 2000s. She applauded the work of Sens. Susan Collins R-ME, and Diane Feinstein D-CA, who have also “really zeroed in” on cosmetics safety reform issues.

In 2015, Collins and Feinstein sponsored the Personal Care Products Safety Act, which became one of the most seriously considered cosmetics reform bills for four consecutive sessions. (Also see "Sen. Feinstein’s Cosmetics Safety Bill Launches With GOP Cosponsor" - HBW Insight, 21 April, 2015.)

Sen. Murray ‘Watching Closely’ For US FDA To Implement, Enforce Cosmetics Regulatory Reform

More from Legislation

More from Policy & Regulation