The new wave of banned products adds to another 1,700 cancellations in reaction to reports of cases of blindness and eye irritation dating back to earlier this year
The National Agency for Health Surveillance (Anvis) canceled another 1,266 ointments for fixing or styling hair that do not follow established safety standards. The new batch of banned products released on Friday 29th adds to another 1,700 cancellations of previous resolutions in reaction to reports of cases of blindness and eye irritation dating back to earlier this year.
As shown the Estadaomore than 170 people were treated in the municipal hospitals of Rio de Janeiro since Monday 25th, with burns to her eyes after using ointments to style her hair. In the ophthalmological emergency room of the Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital, in the center of Rio alone, 135 visits were carried out.
According to the Municipal Health Department (SMS) of Rio, patients began showing symptoms of irritation after using the ointment to braid or plait their hairstyles. When they wet their hair, the chemical ingredient in the product got into their eyes causing injuries.
On Wednesday 27th, Anvisa issued an official note in which it specified that it had received reports from children and adults of “unwanted effects presumably caused by cosmetic products for styling/braiding hair”. In addition to the cases in Rio de Janeiro, other patients in Minas Gerais, Maranhão, Pernambuco, São Paulo, Bahia and Paraná also had similar problems.
According to Anvisa, the cancellations published this Friday were already planned as part of ongoing actions and are not directly linked to the latest incidents of eye irritation, which are still being investigated.
Following the resolution published in September, RDC 814/2023, hair ointments are now subject to registration with Anvisa, which is the process in which the agency must first assess whether the product meets the regulatory conditions to be on the market.
Since the publication of this standard, products notified in the automation system of registration of personal hygiene products, cosmetics and perfumes are deleted. Notification is a simplified review process and is no longer permitted for this product category.
The resolution establishes that the regularization processes of leave-in hair pomades that meet certain conditions will be cancelled:
- Have the physical form declared “ointment”.
- Include the term “ointment” in the name or label, in any language.
- Have a formulation with 20% or more ethoxylated alcohols, including Ceteareth-20 (CAS nº 68439-49-6).
- Be notified during the suspension indicated in the Collegiate Committee Orders 9 (10/02/2023), 30 (17/03/2023), 31 (22/03/2023) and 59 (19/06/2023).
- Owner companies must own at least one product that is temporarily associated with a serious adverse event reported to Anvisa.
What ointments have been lost since registration?
You can view the full list of 1,200 ointments whose registration has been cancelled in this link.
What ointments are authorized for use?
The list of ointments authorized for use is in this link.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
