French health agency promises to clean up baby cosmetics

To protect public health and restore confidence in baby cosmetics, the AFSSAPS will increase inspections and controls to ensure that the products on the market comply with existing regulations.

The health agency will also put the ingredients and products brought into question under the microscope to determine whether they pose risks to human health.

These measures were decided upon in reaction to the sustainable health charity raising the alarm over a number of chemicals in baby cosmetics including parabens, EDTA, BHA and bisphenol A.

Supporting the campaign, Professor Dominique Belpomme, who is president of the cancer research charity ARTAC, told the press that the accumulative cocktail effect of the baby products was unknown.

She said the current situation is absolutely unacceptable from the point of view of public health.

Put under particular scrutiny by the C2DS were the baby cosmetic products distributed in French maternity wards, the evaluation of which the AFSSAPS has now vowed to make a priority.

In addition to the other initiatives the AFSSAPS has put in place the organization announced the creation of a working group to evaluate the safety assessment methods used by manufacturers of baby cosmetics.

Meanwhile the Fédération des Entreprises de la Beauté (FEBEA) defended the industry and sought to reassure consumers that baby products are safe.

The French trade association said all cosmetics are thoroughly tested and that under the EU Cosmetics Directive products aimed at children under three must undergo a specific evaluation process.