Here is a simplified breakdown of what has changed and what it means for your product labels:

Sunscreen Monograph Updates:

• Nano Ingredients Recognized: The monographs now explicitly include data on nano titanium dioxide and nano zinc oxide, covering acceptable quantities, dosage forms, and specifications.
• New Filters Added: Bemotrizinol and Bisoctrizole have been added to the Secondary Sunscreen monograph.
• Testing Standards: New in vitro methods for SPF and broad-spectrum testing (e.g., ISO 23675, ISO 23698) are now referenced.
• PA Ratings (UVA Protection): For NHPs and Non-prescription Drugs (NPDs), PA ratings are now permitted as “additional information” on the label. For NPDs, data must be provided to support any additional information regarding the PA rating prior to its use on labels. The PA rating is acceptable as additional information on the label for NHPs containing Zinc Oxide or a combination of Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. It does not apply to Titanium Dioxide alone (due to lower efficacy against long-wave UVA).

Acne Therapy Monograph Updates:

• More flexibility for marketing claims (expanded terminology): You are no longer restricted to just “acne pimples.” The monograph now allows interchangeable terms such as “zits,” “blemishes,” “spots,” “blackheads,” “whiteheads,” and “comedones.”
• New Performance Claims: Added support for claims regarding mechanism of action, such as “Penetrates pores to eliminate most acne pimples” or “For the management of acne breakouts.”
• Quantity Labeling: You now have the option to express quantity as % w/w or % w/v, depending on your specific formulation.

General Updates for Both Categories:

• Product Facts Table: A standardized Product Facts Table has been added for NHPs in these categories to improve consumer readability.
• Dosage Forms: An updated list of acceptable dosage forms is now included.

The NNHPD has indicated that under this Monograph Update Project, no modifications are anticipated that would necessitate mandatory product license amendments or label revisions. Essentially, these updates are intended to offer more flexibility and modernization rather than forcing a compliance overhaul of existing products. However, if you are launching new products, you should align with these new standards immediately.

Need help navigating these changes? Do you have questions about how these monograph updates affect your specific formulations or labeling strategies? Feel free to reach out to us.

The post Key Changes to Health Canada’s Acne & Sunscreen Monographs appeared first on Focal Point.

This proposal highlights the effectiveness of the OTC Monograph Order Request (OMOR) pathway. Initiated by a request from DSM Nutritional Products LLC, the FDA is proposing the inclusions of bemotrizinol at concentrations up to 6% without requiring a full New Drug Application. The FDA’s review confirmed that the ingredient meets high safety standards, offering broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) protection with low skin absorption and a favorable tolerability profile.

The FDA is currently inviting public feedback on this proposal via the OTC Monograph@FDA portal. If the agency ultimately concludes that bemotrizinol is generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE), it will issue a final order formally adding the ingredient to he OTC Monograph M020.

The post 📢 FDA Modernization in Action: The Bemotrizinol Proposal & The Future of OTC Monograph Reform appeared first on Focal Point.

Key takeaways:

• No Animal Testing Mandate for Marketed Sunscreens: The FDA does not require animal testing for individual sunscreen products that are marketed under the current monograph. Companies can rely on existing data on active ingredients to formulate their products.
• Minimizing Animal Testing for New Ingredients: For new sunscreen active ingredients to be considered ‘generally recognized as safe and effective’ (GRASE), some animal testing has been historically necessary. However, the FDA is actively working to reduce this reliance. For instance, they do not request testing in large animals like dogs or non-human primates, and for ingredients with minimal skin absorption and limited safety concerns, they do not require fertility or extensive cancer studies.
• Call for Innovation: The FDA is strongly urging companies to invest in and develop new, reliable non-animal testing methods. The goal is to have alternative methods that can provide the necessary data for the FDA to make GRASE determinations for new sunscreen active ingredients without the use of animals.
• Collaboration: The FDA is collaborating with other federal partners, including the National Toxicology Program’s Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) and the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), to advance this goal.

The FDA is signaling a clear move towards reducing and ultimately replacing animal testing for sunscreens and is looking to the industry to help lead the way in developing and validating new alternative testing methods.

Read the full article here.

The post FDA encourages Alternatives to Animal Testing for Sunscreens appeared first on Focal Point.