Taiwan FDA to Ban Specific Estrogens in Cosmetics

Two months ago, "Taiwan Food and Drug Administration" announced a draft amendment to ban the use of estradiol, estrone and ethinyl estradiol in cosmetics from July 2016. Minister of Health and Welfare Chiang Been-huang said the FDA would evaluate the possibility of moving up the commencement date to March when he was questioned about the schedule for enforcement of that policy.

On January 17^th, the Taiwan FDA released a statement saying that “the import, manufacture and sale of cosmetic products containing the three types of estrogen would be banned from May 1^st, adding that companies that hold permits to produce such products should proactively register changes to ingredients or face cancelation of their permit.”

Products containing the three types of estrogen that have already been imported, produced or displayed on store shelves can continue to be sold until May 1^st, but after that date all of the products must be recalled, and anyone found breaching the ban faces a sentence of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to NT$150,000, as stipulated by the Code of Cosmetic Hygiene Management.

Chu Yu-ju, the administration section chief in charge of medical equipment and cosmetics, said the agency would collect opinions and suggestions over the next two weeks before the policy becomes official.