Proposed budget calls for cosmetic manufacturers to pay annual fee to the FDA

According to the report, the FDA plays a critical role in ensuring that the nation's cosmetics are safe and is calling for the implementation of user fees to strengthen its cosmetics program to meet public health and industry goals.

“The user fees will improve FDA capacity to promote greater safety and understanding of cosmetic products​.”

User fee ​

The report outlines that the industry has seen an explosion in the numbers of cosmetic products on the market in the last decade and that the agency has “inadequate, incomplete, and often outdated data in the face of this growth.”​

“From FY 2004 to FY 2010, the number of cosmetics imports has nearly doubled, growing from less than 1 million import lines in FY 2004 to more than 1.9 million import lines in FY 2010​.”

Change and evolvement in the industry is another factor the FDA says it requires the fee to keep ahead of the game in.

“Cosmetics technology has become increasingly sophisticated, and ingredients have become more complex​. For example, the use of nanotechnology can result in products with different chemical or physical properties, which may pose different safety challenges​.”

The request is part of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget.

The agency is requesting an overall budget of $4.5bn, which reflects a 17 percent increase on 2012 requested a budget increase of more than $250m for 2013.