Guangdong Province Rolls out 10 Administrative Measures to Aid Work Resumption of Cosmetic Enterprises

On February 22, Guangdong Medical Products Administration (Guangdong MPA) announced ten measures to support drug, medical device and cosmetic enterprises to resume operations amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The emphasis of the policy revolves in the administrative service time extension, review and approval procedures optimization, inspection and verification process simplification as well as registration fee exemption. The policy's implementation period is tentatively scheduled for three months. Any measures with a clearly defined execution time shall be implemented within the prescribed period.

Specifics of the policies are as follows:

1. Extend service hours

Provide enhanced online administrative service which is available for 24/7 online application, real-time feedback of administrative license results and free SMS alerts.
Provide round-the-clock access to online consulting services.
Extend the deadline of registration payment by an extra three months.

2. Adjust the deadline of administrative licenses

Enterprises who fail to apply for the extension and renewal of filing/registration certificate on time during the epidemic prevention and control period can continue the application before June 30, 2020. The period for supplementing information during the technical review is extended by 50%.

Regarding the cosmetic sector, if the validity period of the health certificate held by the cosmetics manufacturing practitioners expires after January 23, 2020, it can be extended by three months after the end of the outbreak.

3. Optimize administrative services

A "zero contact" mode will be used for filing of imported non-special use cosmetics, drug registration and the approval of one-time imported drugs. Enterprises can submit relevant materials by e-mail to gdda_zwsldt@gd.gov.cn, and mail the paper application materials to the Guangdong MPA’s reception hall.

4. Carry out emergency "tolerance acceptance"

Under this model certain mandatory administrative requirements will be temporarily waived provided applicants pledge to comply with all requirements at a later date.

5. Start the "green channel" for the testing and inspection of epidemic prevention products

6. Implement conditional emergency approval and filing of epidemic prevention drugs and medical devices

7. Simplify the sampling process of registration

8. Optimize the inspection for the extension of administrative licenses

During the outbreak, on-site inspection is no longer required for the renewal of administrative licenses with no changes in the licensed content. Enterprises are allowed to substitute it with the supervision and inspection report (including routine inspections, daily inspections, follow-up inspections) that was issued within 18 months before the certificate expires and attach with the review opinions of local authorities within Guangdong.

9. Implement the "nearest allocation" principle of inspectors

Previously, the Center for Certification and Evaluation of Guangzhou MPA randomly selected inspectors to carry out on-site inspections. In a bid to reduce the flow of people during the outbreak, a new model in which the Center for Certification and Evaluation of Guangzhou MPA assigns an inspection team leader, and the local MPA designates local inspectors to form the inspection team to conduct on-site inspection has been adopted as a temporary expedient.

10. Exempt the registration fee for emergency epidemic prevention products