Our 10th Anniversary!

Over the past decade, Oxford Biosciences has experienced incredible growth and success, thanks in no small part to your continued support and trust in our services. We are proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful for your partnership.

Thank you for helping us reach this important milestone! We look forward to many more years of superlative service, growth, and success.

We celebrated our 10th anniversary with an excursion to Hampton Court Palace!

We were thrilled to enjoy this treat with most regulatory staff members, but we also want to acknowledge and appreciate the dedicated team members who remained in our office and laboratory, ensuring the smooth operation of our business during this time.

The State Bedchamber – where it seems as if it were customary to conduct all business in the 18th Century!

As we commemorate the scientific progress we’ve made in the past ten years, it is awe-inspiring to ponder the achievements of the 16th century, despite the lack of modern conveniences that we benefit from in the 21st century.

Hampton Court Palace was built and expanded over several decades, starting from 1515 under the reign of King Henry VIII. The palace reflects the architectural and scientific advancements of the time, although it is important to note that the 16th century was still part of the early modern period, and many of the significant scientific and technological advancements we know today were yet to be discovered. Nevertheless, the palace showcases a few notable features that highlight the scientific understanding and innovations of the era:

  1. Tudor brickwork: During the 16th century, brick was becoming a popular building material in England. Hampton Court Palace is an excellent example of the skillful and decorative brickwork from this period. The bricks were made locally, and their use showcases the advancement in brick-making technology and the expertise of craftsmen in constructing large and intricate structures.
  2. Astronomical clock: Installed in 1540, the Hampton Court astronomical clock is a remarkable example of the scientific knowledge and craftsmanship of the time. The clock displays the time, the date, the phases of the moon, and the positions of the sun and major planets. It also indicates the time of high tide at London Bridge, which was crucial information for river travel. This clock demonstrates the advancements in timekeeping, mechanical engineering, and astronomy during the 16th century.
  3. Gardens and water features: Hampton Court Palace features extensive gardens, which were designed and laid out using the contemporary knowledge of horticulture and landscaping. The palace also had innovative water features, such as fountains and waterworks, which showcased advancements in hydraulics and water engineering.
  4. The Great Hall and the hammer-beam roof: The Great Hall is a magnificent example of the grand and impressive architecture of the time. The hall features a hammer-beam roof, which was an innovative structural design that allowed for large open spaces without the need for central supporting columns. This type of roof was a significant advancement in carpentry and structural engineering during the Tudor period.
  5. Indoor plumbing and heating: Although clearly not as advanced as modern systems, Hampton Court Palace had some early forms of indoor plumbing, such as garderobes (toilets) and conduits for water supply. The palace also featured enormous fireplaces and chimneys for heating, which were considered modern advancements at the time.

While these features might not represent groundbreaking scientific advancements by today’s standards, they do illustrate the level of knowledge, skill, and innovation during the 16th century. Hampton Court Palace stands as a testament to the architectural, engineering, and artistic achievements of the Tudor period.

We are truly inspired!

Posted in Uncategorized

IFF, Firmenich, Givaudan, and Symrise raided in co-ordinated antitrust probe

Regulators in Switzerland, UK, US and EU investigate overcharging and other anti-competitive practices

The world’s four largest fragrance suppliers were raided on Wednesday as part of a co-ordinated move by regulators to investigate overcharging and other anti-competitive practices in the industry. Swiss companies Firmenich and Givaudan, Germany’s Symrise and US group International Flavors & Fragrances — which together control roughly 60 per cent of the market — are all under investigation for suspected collusion by antitrust authorities in Switzerland, the UK, the US and EU.

Read more here.

Posted in Ingredients

We are on the panel at the Safety in Beauty Conference

Meet us on 2nd March 2023 at the Safety in Beauty Conference in Canary Wharf, London, and let us answer any regulatory questions that you may have.

Rigorous, Trustworthy & Quality Beauty Safety Strategies To Responsibly & Compliantly Assure Beauty & Cosmetics Customers

More details here.

Posted in Regulatory

FDA: Banana Boat sunscreen recalled – cancer risk

SHELTON, Conn., January 27, 2023 – Edgewell Personal Care Company (NYSE: EPC) today expanded its voluntary nationwide recall of three batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 to the consumer level as outlined in the table below. One additional batch has been added to the original recall announced on July 29, 2022.

A review found that some samples of the product contained trace levels of benzene. While benzene is not an ingredient in any Banana Boat products, the review showed that unexpected levels of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can.

Read more here.

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Posted in Ingredients, Regulatory

Regulation 2009/1223 and the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013: Great Britain

Updated 9 January 2023

There will be a seven year transition period from 1 January 2021 before businesses have to include the UK Responsible Person details on product labels, provided the EU responsible person details are included. This will enable existing stocks to make their way through the supply chain and reflects the typical shelf-life of a cosmetic and business’ labelling cycles

For more information read here.

Posted in Regulatory

USA Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA).

Within MoCRA is a long-awaited update to the US’ cosmetics laws, amending Chapter VI of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) enacted on 29th December 2022.

Under MoCRA there will be new requirements for ‘responsible persons’ and for facilities manufacturing cosmetics and personal care. 

All existing facilities, domestic and foreign, which manufacture or process a cosmetic product for distribution in the US must register with the FDA no later than one year after the enactment of MoCRA, which was on 29 December 2022. 

Following the deadline, new businesses will have 60 days after beginning manufacturing to register with the FDA.

For more information click here.

Posted in Regulatory

Merry Christmas!

Posted in Uncategorized

USA: National Academy of Sciences Report, “Review of Fate, Exposure, and Effects of Sunscreens in Aquatic Environments and Implications for Sunscreen Usage and Human Health”

“Cosmetics and personal care products companies provide innovative sunscreen products to help protect consumers from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. The Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) and our member companies welcome the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) thorough and comprehensive review of the state of the science, released today, on the use of currently marketed sunscreen ingredients, their environmental impact on aquatic environments, and the potential public health implications associated with changes in sunscreen use.

“An ad hoc committee of the NAS calls upon the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct an environmental risk assessment (ERA) of sunscreen UV filters to characterize possible risks to aquatic ecosystems and the species that live within them, including coral. The report identified information gaps and research priorities necessary to inform a tiered approach to the ERA.

“The key conclusions confirm PCPC’s long-held position that there is currently insufficient relevant and reliable scientific data to conduct realistic ERAs and there is not enough scientific data to support sunscreen ingredient bans. Policymakers, regulators and legislators should not make any decisions that impact consumers’ access to FDA-approved sunscreen UV filters until the scientific community reaches an informed consensus.

For more information read here.

Posted in Ingredients, Regulatory

New UK Cosmetic Portal (OPSS) up and running today

Submit cosmetic product notifications

Create an account or sign in to the OPSS if you have used this service before

Notify the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) about cosmetic products available to consumers in Great Britain (GB).

What you need to do

You need to notify OPSS about every cosmetic product available to consumers in GB.

What you will need to tell OPSS

You will need to tell OPSS:

  • what is in the cosmetic product, including certain nanomaterials
  • the name and details of a contact person for the National Poisons Information Service, or Trading Standards, to get in touch with
  • who the ‘responsible person’ is

The ‘responsible person’ is the individual or company responsible for ensuring the regulations are followed. Every cosmetic product placed on the GB market must have a responsible person.

How to tell the OPSS what’s in the cosmetic product

How you do this depends on whether the product was notified with the EU.

Cosmetic products notified with the EU before 1 January 2021

You can upload the data from your EU notification. You’ll need to:

  • export your data as a ZIP file for each notification – the EU’s Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP) allows you to do this
  • upload the ZIP files – you can upload 100 files at a time

The ZIP files will not include:

  • the formulation of the product if it was an attached document – you must provide this separately as a PDF, RTF or TXT file
  • any images – you’ll need to provide them for products notified after 31 December 2020
  • details of any nanomaterials in the product

Cosmetic products not notified with the EU

You’ll need to enter information about the product manually.

Posted in Regulatory

COVID-19 Update

I want to reassure you that Oxford Biosciences remains operational, with our business continuing to support all our clients. We are continuing to certify vital hand sanitiser and cleansing products for our clients in the UK, and throughout the world.

The protection of our staff, colleagues and clients is uppermost in our minds during this challenging period for us all.

We do not currently foresee any impact on the continuity of our service, but should the situation change we will post an update immediately. Although we believe the actions we have put in place are appropriate for the current levels of risk, they are under constant review.

To minimise any health risk, we are complying with government guidelines on reducing the spread of COVID-19. Based on the latest information, we are taking the following actions:

  • Providing all staff with sanitisers and other cleaning equipment necessary to ensure safety at workplace.
  • Strictly abiding the government’s advice on social distancing.
  • Encouraging all staff to follow precautionary health measures, including frequent hand washing.  
  • Travelling to and from work but only if it is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.

Working from home
All our client files are strictly confidential. GDPR regulations prohibit any of us from working from home.

Limiting non-essential interaction and travel
We are following all Government guidelines with respect to non-essential interactions. We suspended internal meetings and social events several weeks ago. We are also not attending any industry events. These precautions will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Self-isolation in the event of any symptoms
Staff have been asked to follow Government advice and self-isolate for 7 days should they feel symptoms of this coronavirus, or 14 days if they live in a household with an infected individual.

There are, however, amendments to our services.

  • A few staff members are out of the office so completion of CPSRs may take longer than our normal quoted turnaround times.
  • As Royal Mail is fully operational our post is going out as usual.
  • Our microbiology lab is operational and accepting products for microbial testing. 

We are taking this day by day and we will let you know if anything changes.

We will continue to update our policies as the national and global situation progresses. 

I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. It has been a tough few weeks for all of us as we try adjusting to the new normal. 

Please be mindful, look after yourself and your loved ones. You are not alone. We are in this together.

With my very best wishes,

Allison Wild

Managing Director

Posted in Regulatory