Ministry of Health's request for enhancement of cosmetics management in Vietnam

Ministry of Health's request for enhancement of cosmetics management in Vietnam (Image from the internet)

On September 19, 2024, the Drug Administration of Vietnam (Ministry of Health) issued Official Dispatch 3141/QLD-MP to the Departments of Health of provinces and centrally affiliated cities regarding the strengthening of cosmetic management in Vietnam.

Ministry of Health's request for enhancement of cosmetics management in Vietnam

Currently, through inspections and audits on the compliance with laws on the production and trading of cosmetics, there are still some cosmetic production and business facilities that do not match the addresses in their published documents; they change production and business locations without reporting to the regulatory authorities as required; do not fully comply with cosmetic production conditions; produce and trade substandard cosmetics or cosmetics that have not been officially approved by state regulatory authorities; some cosmetic products are misleadingly labeled with functions similar to drugs.

Moreover, through reports from media agencies, the internet, e-commerce platforms, and social networks (Facebook, TikTok, Zalo, YouTube, etc.), there is a situation where cosmetic products are being sold as hand-carried goods, counterfeit products, or products of unclear origin that have not been officially approved by competent regulatory agencies; advertisements for products do not align with the actual functions and uses stated in their official documentation.

To effectively manage cosmetics and ensure user safety and consumer rights, the Drug Administration of Vietnam requests the Departments of Health of provinces and centrally affiliated cities to:

- Enhance inspection and monitoring of compliance with legal regulations on cosmetic management for enterprises producing and trading cosmetics within their jurisdiction;

- Actively collaborate closely with local Steering Committee 389, the Market Management Department, and other relevant agencies to strengthen inspection and monitoring of circulating cosmetics in the market.

In particular, focus on inspecting cosmetic production and trading activities on e-commerce platforms and social networks like Facebook, TikTok, Zalo, YouTube, etc., to promptly detect and handle unauthorized production and trading activities, counterfeit cosmetics, cosmetics circulating without official approval, and cosmetics of unclear origin; advertisements that overstate the functions and inherent properties of the product, inconsistent with the functionalities stated in the official documentation;

- Strictly handle and penalize organizations and individuals violating cosmetic production and trading laws according to current regulations. Recall and destroy all counterfeit cosmetics, cosmetics of unclear origin, substandard cosmetics, and cosmetics that are unsafe for users.

Cosmetic safety requirements in Vietnam

According to Article 13 of Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT, organizations and individuals responsible for bringing cosmetic products to the market must ensure that their products are not harmful to human health when used under normal or appropriately instructed conditions, suitable to the form of preparation, labeling information, usage instructions, special precautions, as well as other information provided by the manufacturer or product owner.

Manufacturers and product owners must assess the safety of each cosmetic product according to the ASEAN Guidelines for Cosmetic Safety Assessment. The levels of heavy metals and microorganisms in cosmetics must meet the requirements prescribed by ASEAN in Appendix 06-MP. Cosmetic formula ingredients must comply with the latest versions of the Annexes of the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (accessible at www.dav.gov.vn or www.aseansec.org).

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