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Avon is committed to offering safe and effective products in the more than 100 markets in which we do business around the world, and the same standards for quality and safety are applied worldwide. We are proud of our 125-year safety record.
Triclosan is an antimicrobial used as an active ingredient in skin and oral care over-the-counter (OTC) drug products and as a preservative in water-based formulations of a range of skin, bath, and hair care products. It effectively inhibits the growth of bacteria and helps prevent the spread of germs, reduces the risk of infections, controls odors, and can prevent certain dental diseases. Avon adheres to product labeling regulations and clearly lists triclosan on the products in which it is used, allowing consumers to make an informed decision on their product choices when seeking antimicrobial products.
Triclosan and its applications have undergone reviews and evaluations by regulatory authorities around the world and have been thoroughly investigated for safety by Avon. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits the use of triclosan in antibacterial soaps and as an antiseptic drug preparation. The European Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) concluded that triclosan has been safely used for many years across a broad range of dental, medical, cosmetic and household products.
In 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluated the existing scientific data and concluded that there were no risks of concern from the exposures considered in their review.
The U.S. FDA has announced that they are engaged in an ongoing scientific and regulatory review of the use of triclosan in FDA-regulated products and expect to communicate their finding to the public in winter 2012. In their announcement, the FDA noted that “triclosan is not currently known to be hazardous to humans” and the FDA “does not have sufficient safety evidence to recommend changing consumer use of products that contain triclosan at this time.”
Avon will continue to closely monitor the FDA’s review and the scientific literature on triclosan and, if we determine that it can no longer be considered to be used safely, we will discontinue its use. Avon will implement whatever measures necessary to protect the safety of our customers. Consumers can continue to use Avon products with confidence.
Consumers can be assured that any cosmetic or personal care product that carries the Avon name has undergone thorough safety evaluation and can be used with the utmost confidence.
Product ingredient information can be found at http://cosmeticsinfo.org/
For inquiries about the safety of Avon products, please contact avoncr@avon.com.
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