Congress to Vote on Stricter Oversight of Beauty Products
A bill to strengthen regulatory oversight of beauty products received bipartisan backing on Monday, paving the way for the first significant revision to cosmetic industry regulations since 1938. The bill, co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California and Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, would enable the Food and Drug Administration to force mandatory recalls and disclosures of products that pose a potential public health risk, the New York Times reports. Manufacturers would have to disclose "serious" consumer complaints of illness, death and disfigurement within 15 business days. Cosmetics makers currently operate under a voluntary system of recalls and disclosures, which industry advocates insist has worked as an effective safety net to date. Nonetheless, trade association representatives signaled a willingness to accept the bill as a "compromise.", NYT