Asbestos-containing beauty products banned from Kuwait and GCC

KUWAIT CITY - Beauty products containing cancer-causing asbestos are banned under official Kuwaiti and Gulf Cooperation Council safety standards, a Kuwaiti Health Ministry official underlined on Monday.

Assistant Undersecretary for pharmaceutical and nutrition control Abdullah Al-Bader made the remarks in response to social media claims that talcum powder products contain the dangerous substance.

The ministry’s department of pharmaceutical and agricultural registration and control ensures the safety of talc products on the market having conducted in an in-depth study into their contents, he said.

The department’s experts have also assessed laboratory analysis certification from the manufacturing companies revealing that these products are free from the substance.

The official mentioned a similar study by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published on its official website on products, including Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder, which came to the same conclusion.

The ministry is in constant contact with global and regional bodies regarding the safety standards of pharmaceutical products in their beauty or medicinal varieties, he went on to highlight. The official also urged accuracy through obtaining information from official sources.

Meanwhile, Kuwait has worked out many laws and regulations that cope with model international trade law, Advisor at Kuwait’s Department of Fatwa and Legislation Rashed Al-Enezi said on Tuesday.