All factories manufacturing dietary supplements and cosmetics will be inspected over the next three months, permanent secretary for public health Jessada Chokdamrongsuk announced on Monday.
Jessada was leading an inspection of the Pathawin Co cosmetics plant in Phatum Thani’s Sam Khok district, along with the province’s public health chief Nraong Tangtrongpairoj and Wanchai Satayawutthipong, secretary-general of the Food and Drug Administration.
The inspection, which follows a scare over potentially deadly products on the market, was part of new proactive measures to protect consumers, Jessada said.
Jessada urged all plant operators to observe the new regulation or else face their FDA licence being revoked and punishment of up to one year in prison and fines of up to Bt100,000. The regulation stipulates that new cosmetic-manufacturing plants must be inspected by officials from the FDA or a provincial public health office within 15 days of registering for a licence, Jessada said.
Wanchai said all the country’s 1,000 cosmetics and supplements plants should be inspected within three months to ensure manufacturers were following regulations.
He also advised business operators wishing to cancel the manufacture or importation of such products to notify the FDA of their move, which they could do at www.thaifda.org/econsult.
He warned that business operators found to be making or importing products not covered by their FDA registration would also face legal action.Authorities are clamping down on cosmetic and food supplement products following controversy surrounding the well-known Magic Skin brand and Lyn dieting pills. The latter were allegedly found to be laced with sibutramine, an appetite suppressant linked with serious heart problems and strokes.
Sibutramine was upgraded as a Schedule I psychoactive substance [with all usage prohibited, imposing harsher penalties on manufacturers and sellers of items containing this substance] on May 24, after Lyn pills were linked to the deaths of four dieters.
The Nation
