Critical analysis of the SCCNFP/SCCP safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients (2000-2006).

Over the years the Scientific Committee on Cosmetic products and Non-Food Products intended for consumers (SCCNFP) and its successor, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) have assessed a substantial number of cosmetic ingredients, either present on the annexes of the cosmetic products directive or raising some concern for human health. The study of 185 SCC(NF)P opinions issued between 2000 and 2006, presented here, reveals that hair dyes and hair dye components clearly dominated the scene and that the percentage of positive opinions distinctly increased between 2003 and 2006. In order to explain the shift observed over time, the general content of the submissions as well as the perceived quality of the individual studies were related to the positive/negative outcomes of the SCC(NF)P opinions. Problem areas included identification of the compound under study and its physicochemistry, dermal absorption, mutagenicity/genotoxicity testing and exposure assessment. These studies, which form part of a standard ingredient dossier, were available, but sometimes of insufficient scientific quality as judged by the SCC(NF)P. To complete the general analysis some considerations from industry and the SCCP secretariat are mentioned.