First Unannounced Inspection Failure of Foreign Company, Unveiled by China NMPA

On November 17, 2023, China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) disclosed that a Japanese cosmetic company failed a recent unannounced inspection organized by the NMPA. The company was found to have made unauthorized changes to the production process of a black hair cream product, suspecting that its cosmetics production had not been in accordance with the technical requirements stated in the cosmetics registration dossiers. This breach violates regulations such as Cosmetic Supervision and Administration Regulation (CSAR), Supervision and Administration Measures on Cosmetics Manufacture and Operation, etc.

At the request of NMPA, the Shanghai Municipal Medical Products Administration (MPA) has mandated an immediate halt to the suspected illegal activities, requiring the company to make rectifications and undergo a thorough investigation in compliance with the law.

The Unannounced Inspection Results for the Japanese CompanyThis marks the first instance of an overseas company receiving unannounced inspections under China's new cosmetics regulations, signaling heightened official supervision in the cosmetics market. Furthermore, oversight of cosmetics violations, especially in areas like hair dyes, is now extended to overseas companies, reinforcing equal treatment for both Chinese and foreign entities.