American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Chief Information Analyst Merle Zimmermann, Ph.D., attended the 147th Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel Meeting on the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics held in Washington, D.C., Jun. 4-5. The meeting included discussions of two CIR safety reports being developed on Gingko biloba and eucalyptus cosmetic ingredients.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Committee split their safety report on Ginkgo biloba in two parts to address leaf-derived and non-leaf-derived ingredients.
The committee requested a draft final report be issued for Ginkgo biloba leaf-derived cosmetic ingredients with the conclusion that they are “safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.” The committee observed that the non-leaf-derived Ginkgo cosmetic ingredients (derived from meristem cell, nut extract, root extract, biflavones, and terpenoid fractions) had “insufficient data” provided in the report and additional manufacturing information would be required to make a safety determination. CIR requested a draft final report be issued for these non-leaf-derived cosmetic ingredients with the “insufficient data” conclusion.
The committee also reviewed the draft final report on a variety of well described eucalyptus-derived cosmetic ingredients and determined these ingredients to be “safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.”
Another 60-day, public comment period is expected once the the new draft final reports are published. Final report(s) could be approved and ready for publishing after the 148th Expert Panel meeting scheduled for September 24-25.
AHPA staff will continue to be involved as herbal ingredients are evaluated for safe use in the marketplace, as nine of the twenty three ingredient groups on the current 2018 priority list for review are in this important market category.
"As a result of AHPA’s participation, it was more straightforward for CIR to move these important cosmetic ingredient safety assessments towards completion," Dr. Zimmermann reported. “The results presented in the draft final reports reflect the availability of safety data on the particular ingredients used for cosmetics, while recognizing the history of safe human use of the dietary supplement ingredient formulations.”
CIR was established in 1976 by the industry trade association (then the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, now the Personal Care Products Council), with the support of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. Although funded by the Council, CIR and the review process are independent from the Council and the cosmetics industry.
The purpose of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review is to determine those cosmetic ingredients for which there is a reasonable certainty in the judgment of competent scientists that the ingredient is safe under its conditions of use. The meetings include renowned academicians, industry leaders, and government officials from across the US who regularly meet to report on the safety of cosmetics ingredients.