WASHINGTON – The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today released the below statement following congressional passage of a $1.7 trillion government funding bill:

“We applaud today’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill, which includes several CHPA-backed measures. CHPA is pleased that legislators prioritized measures that will advance consumer safety and protection, a critical concern for the consumer healthcare products industry.

“Included in this package is the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act. Beauty and personal care products have an excellent safety record, but the key statutory provisions authorizing FDA regulation of these products have not been updated since the enactment of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938. CHPA has long pushed for the modernization of these regulations and is pleased that FDA will now have the appropriate authority and resources it needs to oversee this sector for decades to come.

“Additionally, the inclusion of the INFORM Consumers Act will protect millions of American consumers from bad actors peddling counterfeit and stolen goods by creating more transparent and accountable marketplaces. CHPA thanks Senators Dick Durbin and Bill Cassidy and Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Gus Bilirakis for their leadership on this critical issue.

“Finally, while CHPA is supportive of Mandatory Product Listing (MPL) for dietary supplements, we do not support it as a standalone measure, as FDA requires more tools to remove bad actors and illegal products from the marketplace. CHPA supports a more comprehensive approach to regulatory reform that includes MPL, as well as additional tools FDA needs to stop criminals, such as increased cGMP inspections and Remote Regulatory Assessments. While CHPA appreciates the attention given to dietary supplement reform this year, there is undoubtedly still more work to be done to appropriately balance consumer access with FDA oversight, and CHPA looks forward to working with lawmakers in support of comprehensive dietary supplement reform in the 118th Congress.”