MoCRA is here to stay, so we may as well get used to its terminology.
MoCRA: MoCRA itself is an acronym that stands for the Modernizing Cosmetics Regulation Act. This legislation aims to update and strengthen the regulation of cosmetics in the United States. It addresses various aspects of cosmetics regulation, including ingredient safety, labelling requirements, and post-market surveillance. Familiarizing yourself with the provisions of MoCRA is essential when working with this act.
FDA is the Food and Drug Administration, the regulatory agency in the United States responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety and efficacy of various products, including cosmetics. The Modenizing Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) aims to update and enhance the FDA’s authority over cosmetic products.
INCI stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. INCI is a standardized system for naming cosmetic ingredients. It helps consumers and regulators identify the ingredients used in cosmetic products by standardising what they are called. Familiarity with INCI is important when discussing ingredient transparency and labelling requirements under MoCRA.
CPNP: Cosmetic Products Notification Portal
CIR stands for Cosmetic Ingredient Review. The CIR is an independent expert panel that assesses the safety of cosmetic ingredients. It conducts thorough scientific evaluations to determine the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics. Understanding the role of the CIR is crucial when discussing MoCRA’s focus on ingredient safety and regulation.
REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals
Another important acronym related to MoCRA is NACD, which stands for the National Advertising Division. The NACD is a self-regulatory body that reviews advertising claims for cosmetics and other consumer products. It plays a significant role in ensuring that cosmetic companies comply with advertising standards and guidelines set forth by MoCRA.
GMP, which stands for Good Manufacturing Practices. GMP refers to a set of guidelines and standards that ensure the quality and safety of cosmetic products during their manufacturing process. Compliance with GMP is crucial for cosmetic companies to meet the requirements set by MoCRA and maintain product safety and quality. This is sometimes prefixed as cGMP. This usually means cosmetic GMP to distinguish it from the various other GMP systems. But from time to time it means current GMP, with the implication that only the latest GMP is good enough.
CPSC: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent agency in the United States that regulates the safety of consumer products. While not specific to cosmetics, MoCRA may involve collaboration between the FDA and CPSC to ensure the safety of cosmetic products.
OTC: Over-The-Counter, refers to drugs and products that are available without a prescription. MoCRA may include provisions related to the regulation of OTC cosmetic products, ensuring their safety and appropriate labelling.
NTP: National Toxicology Program is a federal interagency program that evaluates the toxicity of various substances. MoCRA may involve the FDA working in conjunction with the NTP to assess the safety of cosmetic ingredients and establish guidelines for their use.
Dear Colin,
I have only recently learned of this MoCRA from a couple mentions in Cosmetics and Toiletries Association Magazine.
Not that I made a point to •read• any of these articles, I just registered that they existed.
My question, and I have no idea how you might know this, if you did, is, what shape will this thing take, for a micro-business in cosmetics and personal care, within the United States, whether it be now or six months from now?
As in, what will this look like on the daily? Will it be like I am suddenly trying to do business in Canada or Australia? (Meaning will I have to send every new formula in to be approved before I can begin production? Or am I going to have to tell the FDA where each ingredient will be sourced and get their approval before I can order supplies?)
Is this an effort, on the FDA’s account, of finally trying to look like they give a flying flip?
And how inconvenient and expensive will it be for all the small businesses and totally easy-breezy for the big corporate dudes?
I feel like I have been noticing effort after effort to stamp out every small business in this industry as much as in every other industry. I don’t know if it’s just since the pandemic or before, where the government really established how unimportant all us little guys actually are, but it has become all the more obvious, and I don’t even think they are trying to hide it anymore.
Thank you for your time,
Warm regards, Suki
Hello Suki, I think small businesses have quite a lot of exemptions from Mocra so it may not be too bad.