CDSCO flags two imported whitening creams: unauthorised in India, heavy metals beyond limits

New Delhi: The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has issued a public health alert warning consumers against buying or using two imported cosmetic creams after laboratory testing found them to be unauthorised for sale in India and to contain heavy metals beyond the specified limits.

The cosmetics division of the drug regulator named the two products as Goree Beauty Cream and Chandni Whitening Cream, both labelled "Made in Pakistan", in a health alert dated September 8. Neither product, CDSCO said, had been issued a registration certificate by the competent authority for import and sale in India.

According to the alert, laboratory testing and analysis verified that the products were unauthorised and that their heavy metal content exceeded permissible limits, which could cause toxic effects in users.

What the regulator has advised

CDSCO has asked consumers not to buy or use the two products. It has also advised people who may have already purchased these creams, or products with similar names, not to use them. Sellers, distributors and other establishments have been directed not to sell, distribute or advertise the products. Regulatory enforcement units have been instructed to ensure that the creams are not sold within their jurisdictions.

While announcing the alert, CDSCO did not specify in its public note which heavy metals were detected in the samples, or the exact levels recorded. The regulator's caution rests on the finding that the products are unauthorised for import and sale in India and that their heavy metal content is above the limits prescribed for cosmetics.

Heavy metals in cosmetic products are a recognised public health concern because they can accumulate in the body with repeated use. Depending on the substance and the extent of exposure, prolonged use of such products has been associated with skin damage and, in some cases, effects on the kidneys and the nervous system. This is why cosmetics sold in India are required to meet prescribed limits for such substances.

How to check if a cosmetic is authorised

The regulator has reiterated that consumers should buy only authorised cosmetics, and should look for the details printed on the label. These include the manufacturing licence number, the manufacturer's details, the batch number, and the manufacturing and expiry dates. In the case of imported cosmetics, the label must also carry a registration number.

Consumers have been urged to remain cautious about products that lack these details, particularly those sold through unverified online listings, informal markets or unauthorised import channels.

The regulatory framework

The alert has been issued under the framework of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the Cosmetics Rules, 2020. Under these provisions, manufacturing cosmetics for sale in India requires a licence from the State Licensing Authority. Imported cosmetics, on the other hand, must be registered with the Central Licensing Authority before they can be legally imported and sold in the country.

Products that bypass this route are not covered by the safety and quality checks that registered cosmetics undergo, which is the basis for the regulator's warning against the two creams.

The alert is a routine part of the drug regulator's market surveillance, under which samples drawn from the market are tested for compliance with the law. CDSCO's public notices of this kind are intended to inform consumers, traders and enforcement authorities at the same time, so that unauthorised products can be withdrawn from sale.

Consumers who come across these products on shelves or online can bring them to the notice of the local drug control authorities, who are responsible for enforcement within their states.