Low quality cosmetics flooding the market: GMOA

The GMOA warned today that there was a rapid increase in the import of toxic substances for facials because of the absence of laws regulating cosmetics in the country.

National Cancer Institute’s Consultant Gynecologist Sarada Kannangara said during the past two years cosmetics which include dangerous substances had captured the local market because of the inefficiency of the Health Ministry.

He said clause 27 of the 1990 Medicine Act had been annulled in 2015 and a new Act introduced but it doesn’t have sufficient provisions to regulate the import of cosmetic items leaving room for low quality products to be imported.

“A wide range of low quality cosmetic products are available under various brand names. Several deaths have been reported because of allergic reactions to these products,” Dr. Kanangara said.

He said the GMOA had found that many of these low quality cosmetics had been imported from Pakistan.

He said most of the cosmetics contained mercury above the safe limit for instant results but they more often led to health hazards such as skin cancer.