L'Oréal anti-aging claims draw FDA warning

Washington - The Food and Drug Administration has warned L’Oréal it must alter claims about the capabilities of some of its anti-aging products or face an order to halt sales.

The FDA issued a warning letter Sept. 7 to L’Oréal’s Lancôme USA division, citing claims such as “boosts the activity of genes” or “stimulate cell regeneration to reconstruct skin to a denser quality” indicate that the products “are intended to affect the structure or any function of the human body,” thereby classifying them as drugs that would require FDA approval under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.

“The marketing of these products with these claims evidencing these intended uses violates the act,” the FDA stated in its warning letter.

Some of the products the FDA identified as using claims that could classify them as drugs include Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate, Eye Concentrate, Activating Cream Serum, and Activating Night Cream; as well as Absolue Precious Cells Advanced Regenerating and Reconstructing Cream SPF 15 Sunscreen, Eye Cream, and Night Cream. The FDA said that the list is no all-inclusive of the company’s violations.

If L’Oréal fails to make adjustments to the anti-aging claims, the FDA has authority, through the cosmetic act, to issue “injunctions against manufacturers and distributors of illegal products and seizure of such products,” the FDA stated.

“We are aware of FDA’s letter to Lancôme and will respond to their regulatory concerns in a timely manner,” a company spokeswoman told Reuters.

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