PHL's FDA blacklists 71 mercury-laden beauty products

At least 71 more cosmetic products were placed on the government's banned list Monday, after they were found to contain "highly toxic" levels of mercury. The Food and Drug Administration said these products were found to contain mercury above the allowable limit of 1 part per million or one milligram per kilo. "Local government units and enforcement agencies are deputized to apprehend vendors or outlets found selling the said highly toxic cosmetic products to prevent further exposure of consumers and to protect the environment. The LGU and enforcement agencies shall coordinate with the FDA upon apprehension," acting director Kenneth Hartigan-Go said. Consumers who have the mercury-laden products were also advised to contact the FDA to ensure proper disposal to protect human and animal health and the environment. They can contact the FDA via hotlines 807-8275 and 809-5596. Hartigan-Go's memo was dated Nov. 28, but was posted on the FDA website late Monday. Also, the FDA noted that while mercury salts in cosmetic products inhibit the formation of melanin to produce a lighter skin tone, there have been adverse health effects. Such effects include kidney damage, skin rashes, skin discoloration and scarring. Chronic use reduces the skin's normal resistance against bacterial and fungal infections. Other effects include anxiety, depression or psychosis and peripheral neuropathy. "The transfer of mercury to fetuses of pregnant women may manifest as neurodevelopment deficits later in life," Hartigan-Go said. On the other hand, he said consumers directly exposed to cosmetic products consuming more than 1 ppm risk toxicity. Absorbing high levels of mercury may lead to severe gastroenteritis, burning mouth pain, salivation, abdominal pain, vomiting, colitis, nephrosis, anuria or uremia. Exposure to alkyl and phenyl mercurial compounds may result in skin burns while consumers who may have been exposed to highly toxic mercury in cosmetics should seek professional advice or help. Hartigan-Go also warned mercury in cosmetic products may find its way to the environment, including wastewater and bodies of water. He said mercury that enters the environment may become methylated and enter the food chain as highly toxic methyl mercury in fish. Included in the list are: 1. Aichun Beauty (Aloe Vera) Cream 2. Aichun Beauty (with Green Tea Essence) cream 3. Aichun Beauty Anti-Freckle Cream Suit (VC) 4. Aichun Beauty Paw Paw Fade Out Cream 5. Aichun Beauty Paw Paw Whitening and Freckle Remover Series (Facial Cleanser with Cream) 6. Aichun Beauty Strongly Whitening Freckle Series (3 in 1) - (Facial Cleanser with Day and Night Cream) 7. Aichun Beauty Green Tea Whitening Speckle Removing Series Cream 8. Aichun Beauty Whitening Freckle Day and Night Cream 9. Ailke Perfect Salvation Rosy Whitening A and B Cream 10. Bai Li Tou Hong Cream 11. Berglotus Spot Removing Series 12. Beauty Excellent Lamb Placenta Whitening and Anti-Aging Cream 13. Beautiful Dream Whitening Anti-Speckle and Anti-Acne Kit 14. Beauty Girl Double White Collagen Elastin Whitening Night Cream/Double White SPF17AP++Whitening Day Cream 15. Beauty Girl 6 Days Specific Eliminating Freckle Whitening Cream Egg White & Tomato 3in1 16. Beauty Girl Papaya & Hawthorn Essence (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed Essence) 17. Beauty Girl Ginseng & Green Cucumber (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed) 18. Beauty Girl Essence Aloe Pearl (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed Essence) 19. Beauty Girl Olive and Sheep Essence (10 Double Whitening Speckles Removed Essence) 20. BIB Day Cream Whitening Cream -921 21. BIB Night Cream Whtening Cream -922 22. Daggett and Ramsdell Underarm Lightening Cream 23. Doctor Bai Skin Revitalizing Skin Brightening (Doctor Bai Intensive White Revitalizing & Speckle Removing Set) 24. Feique Cream 25. Feique Golden Aloe Whitening (Anti-Scar, Anti-Freckle) Cream 26. Feique Green Tea Vital Whitening Freckle-Removing Cream 27. Gemli Glutathione Hydrolyzed Collagen Whitening & Anti-Aging 28. Glutathione Grapeseed Extract Whitening & Anti-Aging 29. Lanmeirou 12 Days Whiten & Speckle Removing Suit 30. Liliki Whitening Day Cream - 911 31. Liliki Whitening Night Cream - 912 32. Long Dian Tu Glutathione and Pearl Natural Whitening Essence Cream 33. Jiaoli Miraculous Cream 34. Jiaoli Huichusu Special Cut Genuine Cream 35. Jiao Li 10-Days Eliminating Freckle Day & Night Set 36. Jiao Liang 7 Days Eliminating Freckle AB Set 37. Jiao Liang 10 Days Eliminating Freckle AB Set 38. Jiao Li 7-Days Eliminating Freckle AB Set 39. Jiao 2+17 Days Clearing Facial Spot Suits 40. Jiaoli Huichusu Whitening Speckles Removal Cream 41. Jiaoli Rejuvenation Essence 10 Days Speckle Removing 42. Jiao Liang Miraculous Cream 43. Jiao Mei Miraculous Cream 44. Jiao Yan Specific Miraculous Cream 45. Jonathan Clearing Facial Spots 12 Day Cream 46. JJJ (Golden Package) Magic Spots Removing Cream (Spots Removing Super) 47. Loreial Paris Anti-Freckle Cream Suit 48. Maidaifu Herbal Moisturizing Cream Wrinkles Harmonie Cream 49. Miss Beauty Magic Cream 50. Miss Beauty Excellent Therapy Whitening Cream 51. New Miss Beauty Magic Cream 52. Oseur O Mei Su Pearl Paste 53. Pan Yu 7-Day Whitening Speckle-Removing Series Whitening Cream 54. Pretty Girl 10 Day Special Cream 55. Pretty Girl Green Cucumber & Ginseng Cream 56. Pretty Model Whitening & Freckle Removing (Day Cream & Night Cream Set) 57. Qiang Li Zeng Bai Qu Ban Wang Whitening Cream 58. Sara Glutathione Sheep Placenta Whitening and Anti-Spot Cream 59. Shengli Day & Night Cream 60. Special Cream (labeled in Chinese characters), 1 jar 61. Special Cream (labeled in Chinese characters), set of 2 jars 62. St. Dalfour Beauty Whitening Cream 63. S'Zitang Cream 64. The Flower Woman 7-Day Whitening and Spot and Night Set Cream 65. Xin Jiao Li 7-Days Specific Eliminating Freckle Cream 66. Xin Jiao Liang 7-Days Miracle Package for Spots Refining 67. Yoko Whitening Cream (Aloe Vera Extract) 68. Yoko Gentleman Cream for Men 69. Youngrace Age Defying Essence 70. Yudantang Ginseng and Ganoderma Lucidum 6 Days Specific Eliminating Freckle Whitening Sun Block Cream 71. Yudantang Green Cucumber and Ginseng 6 Days Specific Eliminating Freckle Whitening Cream Longest banned list Ecological group EcoWaste Coalition welcomed the list, saying this may be a global record in the most number of mercury-tainted skin whitening creams banned. “We laud the FDA for its latest action to protect consumers against mercury exposure from dangerous contraband cosmetics that continue to penetrate the local market,” said campaigner Aileen Lucero. The group noted that in 2004, the Indonesian Food and Drug Control Agency issued a warning against 51 brands of personal care products for containing mercury and other dangerous chemicals. The group said it will help the FDA by deploying this week its monitoring teams to check vendors' compliance with the latest directive. It will also distribute posters and copies of the FDA's advisory to Chinese drug stores, cosmetics shops, health supplements stalls and other retail outlets to encourage them to voluntarily obey the directive. The group will publish a comics-type material that will promote “brown is beautiful” and encourage consumers to seek out duly tested, registered and labeled personal care products with no mercury and other injurious ingredients, — ELR, GMA News