Taiwan FDA to Ban Estrogens in Cosmetics

Last week, "Taiwan Food and Drug Administration" announced a draft amendment to ban the use of 3 types of estrogen (estradiol, estrone and ethinyl estradiol) in cosmetics from next July. These three types of estrogens can be found in shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers and astringents, body and skin creams and also in UV sun screens.

In 2005, the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer categorized cancer-causing agents into four levels of risk. Estrogen was listed highest for its involvement in increased risk of breast cancer or endometrial cancer.

At present, estrogen is a controlled substance in Taiwan, which requires manufacturers and importers to possess a permit for its use. The FDA have stipulated that the import and manufacture of cosmetics containing estrogens will be prohibited from next July. Local manufacturing companies that hold licenses to use estrogens in cosmetics should register new formulations with FDA before this date.

Yeh Meng-yi, Taiwan FDA division chief of medical devices and cosmetics, said that this policy follows recent bans on estrogen in cosmetics by governments worldwide. EU, USA, Canada and mainland China have previously restricted estrogens due to concern that it may cause cancer and contribute to pollution. Minister of Health and Walfare Chiang Been-huang said the FDA is evaluating whether to move enforcement of this policy forward to March 2016.