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Cosmetic companies will soon be required to submit safety data to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) seeking approval for products, one of many new stringent regulatory norms to ensure the safety of customers, The Times of India reported.

Companies cannot use animals for testing their products and will have to follow the packaging standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The CDSCO put out a notification with draft cosmetic rules with new regulations for testing, manufacturing and packaging of cosmetics. The draft also included norms for imported cosmetics.

Cosmetic products in India fall under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, but there aren't specific regulations for them. Therefore, these products often circumvent testing and other norms, as most rules apply to other drugs. The drug regulator has notified draft cosmetics rules laying down regulations for testing, manufacturing and packaging of cosmetics. This proposed regulation also covers imported cosmetics.

The new regulations will address this problem and make cosmetic industry players more accountable for the quality of their products. Sources told the paper that since the industry is growing rapidly, it is important to put measures in place to keep a check on the standard of products. The rules deliberate over inspections of manufacturing and testing facilities and confiscation in case of violation of rules. Manufacturers of the products will have to maintain a record of product batches and raw materials for at least three years.

Cosmetic companies cannot make any false claims to sell their products under the new rules. This draft has been put out for public consultation by the Health Ministry for the next 45 days, after which it will be considered for final notification. After the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) approves it, any violation of the rules will be treated under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.

The proposed rules for cosmetics aim to address this loophole and make manufacturers and importers more accountable for what they sell. This also assumes significance as the cosmetics market is growing rapidly in the country.

“Consumption is growing rapidly and therefore, it is important to ensure that products sold in the Indian market are of standard quality".