US FDA and EPA 2024 budget allocation to focus on cosmetics modernization and chemical safety
13 Mar 2023 --- Last week, the Biden administration released the US budget for the fiscal year 2024, taking action to lower health care costs, clean energy and prescription drugs, promote greater competition to lower costs and address pandemic-driven supply chain bottlenecks.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting a funding allocation of US$5 million from the total budget, toward modernizing oversight of cosmetics.
The budget includes new funding for developing regulations, compliance policies, product registration and listing platforms, adverse event reporting and other activities to start implementing new authorities recently signed into law related to the safety and proper labeling of cosmetic products.
“This year’s funding request builds on our accomplishments and lessons learned over the past year and adds new funding to continue modernizing the FDA and its capabilities for the future,” says FDA commissioner Robert M. Califf.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also says that the budget provides an investment of US$130 million, US$49 million more than the 2023 enacted level, to build core capacity to implement the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
“Under TSCA, EPA has a responsibility to ensure the safety of chemicals in or entering commerce. In FY 2024, EPA will focus on evaluating, assessing and managing risks from exposure to new and existing industrial chemicals to advance human health protection in our communities,” the EPA details.
Moreover, the budget provides approximately US$170 million to combat PFAS pollution.
The budget provides approximately US$170 million to combat PFAS pollution.“PFAS substances are a group of chemicals that threaten the health and safety of all communities. This request allows the EPA to continue working toward commitments made under EPA’s 2021 PFAS Strategic Roadmap, including increasing our knowledge of PFAS impacts to human health and ecological effects, restricting use to prevent PFAS from entering the air, land and water, and remediating PFAS that have been released into the environment.”
Budgetary concessions for cosmetics
Notably, US Fragrance Creators Association is advocating for appropriate funding in the President’s future budgets and the Congressional appropriations process toward the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulations Act (MoCRA).
“Fragrance Creators welcomes the opportunity to join White House briefings on the President’s budget and is actively advocating for appropriate funding of our key priorities,” states Farah K. Ahmed, president and CEO at the association.
“The budget must provide agencies with the tools and resources to implement priority issues for the fragrance industry. In particular, we take note of funding provisions for the FDA and the EPA.”
The association explains that it is critical that the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors and the agency’s cosmetics program have adequate resources to ensure MoCRA’s regulatory implementation aligns with the needs of the 21st Century.
Meanwhile, according to the Fragrance Creators Association, sufficient funding enables the EPA to implement the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (LCSA) for the evaluation of chemicals and its uses.
“Providing EPA with the resources it needs to implement LCSA and operate the TSCA program in a way that promotes environmental sustainability at the speed our planet needs while fostering a marketplace where a diverse array of responsible companies can compete, innovate and thrive,” says Ahmed.
“Fragrance Creators will continue to advocate for sustained, appropriate funding of our key priorities, both in the President’s future budgets and the Congressional appropriations process, as we promote policies that empower the goals of MoCRA and TSCA.”
By Radhika Sikaria
