A toxics watchdog has lauded the government after renowned toxicologist Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go was appointed head of the Philippines' Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In a statement, the EcoWaste Coalition said that Go's appointment has "buoyed up expectations for tougher action to rid the market of dangerous cosmetics."
The group also expressed hope that the agency will further strengthen itself towards becoming a “center of regulatory excellence” dedicated to protecting the public health under his watch.
The group added that it was its duty to offer some suggestions and insights to help the FDA "reinforce its ongoing work to curb, if not eradicate, the unlawful sale of skin whitening creams containing dangerous amounts of mercury," Edwin Alejo, Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition, said in a letter sent to Go.
The letter was signed by 20 environment and health advocates, including film actor Roy Alvarez, Miss Earth Philippines titlist Cathy Untalan, educator Dean Antonio La Viña, environmental lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, pulmonologist Dr. Maricar Limpin, breastfeeding champion Ines Fernandez, climate defender Dr. Helen Mendoza, toxics campaigner Beau Baconguis, community leader Noli Abinales, Rotarian Romy Hidalgo, Ang NARS president Dr. Leah Primitiva Samaco-Paquiz and zero waste proponent Sonia Mendoza.
Of the 50 brands of skin whitening creams that the FDA had so far banned for containing excessive levels of mercury, the EcoWaste Coalition managed to buy over a dozen of the various proscribed cosmetics in several test buys conducted this year.
The mercury-laced skin whitening creams are being sold in some Chinese drug stores, beauty product shops, food and herbal supplements booths as well as in some stalls of ambulant vendors, they said.
As a result, the EcoWaste Coalition proposed a list of 15 items, which the group said will help disallow "the continued sale of mercury-laden skin whitening products and the apparent need for a more effective strategy to deal with this preventable health menace."
1. Issue timely health and recall advisories as frequent as may be deemed necessary to forewarn consumers against mercury exposure from certain skin whitening products, including those that have not gone through the required notification process with FDA.
2. Improve the content and delivery of the FDA health and recall advisories such as by providing photographs of the banned products.
3. Publish a paid advertisement in one broadsheet and at least two tabloids of national circulation warning the general public about all the banned products with accompanying photos.
4. Maximize the use of conventional broadcast and print media as well as new media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter and other social networking tools) to ensure that the message reaches through the target sector/s, particularly cosmetics consumers and vendors.
5. Provide a hotline that concerned citizens, including vendors and consumers, can contact to obtain information or clarification about banned cosmetics.
6. Issue a more in-depth Health Alert that will provide information about the hazards of mercury in cosmetics, signs and symptoms of mercury poisoning, medical remedies, disposal of mercury-containing products, etc.
7. Publish a consumer information material (e.g., a simplified, illustrated version of the Health Alert) that will inform users about the health and environmental risks posed by mercury-containing cosmetics for wider distribution and consumption.
8. Encourage victims of mercury exposure from skin whitening products to come forward and tell their stories in appropriate venues.
9. Designate a "No Mercury in Cosmetics" awareness-raising day or any appropriate event to drum up public interest and alertness about this toxic health threat. A potential date is August 4 of every year to mark the issuance of the landmark FDA Advisory 2011-012 banning a total of 50 mercury-laden skin whitening products.
10. Spearhead or support a “Brown is Beautiful” campaign that will encourage Filipinos to be proud of our beautiful, natural complexion.
11. Actively promote and support city or municipal ordinances prohibiting the importation, distribution, sale and use of mercury-containing cosmetics.
12. Forge an agreement with the Bureau of Customs for a more stringent control on the entry of contraband cosmetics such as skin whitening creams.
13. Conduct a series of law enforcement activities, including on-the-spot confiscation of contraband items and preventive closure of business establishments, to rid the market of illegal skin lightening cosmetics, and to demonstrate FDA’s conviction and firmness to enforce the law.
14. Forge Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) with the management of shopping malls to secure their cooperation in preventing the distribution and sale of banned cosmetics by shop owners in their premises.
15. Work out an arrangement with FDAs or equivalent regulatory bodies in other jurisdictions suspected as sources of imported mercury-laced cosmetics such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc. to prevent export of such tainted goods to the Philippines.
source: interaksyon.com
