PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry cancelled the notification of two cosmetic products because they contain scheduled poisons and are no longer allowed to be sold in Malaysia.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said on Tuesday (July 9) that the products in question were ‘Ailas Wild Rose Petal Face Cream’ and ‘Desha Night Cream’ (moisturiser) both of which were found to contain tretinoin and mercury.
In a statement, he said the cancellation of notification of the products was made by the senior director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Health Ministry.
"Mercury is prohibited in cosmetic products because it can be absorbed into the body and cause damage to the kidneys and nervous system.
"It can also interfere with the brain development of young or unborn children. Mercury can also cause rashes, irritation and other changes to the skin,” he said.
Dr Muhammad Radzi said products containing tretinoin, which is a drug that needs to be registered with the Drug Control Authority can only be used with the advice of a health professional.
He said the use of products containing these substances without expert supervision can cause unwanted side effects to the skin such as redness, discomfort, pain, peeling and hypersensitivity to sunlight.
Accordingly, he urged the sellers and distributors of these two products to immediately stop the marketing of all the products in question as they violated the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations (CDCR) 1984.
Individuals who commit an offence under the regulation face a maximum penalty of a fine of RM25,000 or imprisonment of three years or both for the first offence and a fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment of five years or both for subsequent offences.
Companies in violation face a maximum fine of RM50,000 for the first offence and RM100,000 for subsequent offences.
"The general public currently using these cosmetic products is advised to cease using them immediately and seek advice from a health professional for any discomfort or adverse effects.
"The public is encouraged to check the notification status of a cosmetic product by visiting the official website of the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division (NPRA) www.npra.gov.my or through the 'NPRA Product Status' application which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store,” he said. - Bernama
