Thailand FDA to Reinforce Cosmetic Advertisement Regulation

Thailand FDA is currently drafting a regulation to identify prohibited messages in cosmetic advertisements and is going to give harsher punishment to violators. The finer points of the regulation are currently being considered by the FDA cosmetics committee and new guidelines are expected to be completed this year.

FDA deputy secretary-general Prapon Angtrakul said that the regulation would provide clear examples of advertising message formats and the banned messages would be divided into three categories:

1.        Products claiming pharmaceutical properties or applicability in curing or treating  diseases

2.        Products bearing functional claims purporting to alter physiological functions, homeostasis or body structure

3.        Products claiming efficacy referencing medical research without referenced studies.

Prapon also mentioned that “cosmetic advertisements must not contain unfair messages to consumers” would be added to Article 41 (7) the Cosmetic Act 2015. He said that this regulation would cover cosmetic ads in all media including print, radio, television and online. When the new regulation is enforced violators will face up to a year in jail or a fine of up to Bt 100000, double the current punishments.

* Reference Link: FDA to toughen regulations on cosmetic advertisements