Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines issued a series of advisories (FDA Advisory No. 2026-0886 to 2026-0900, excluding Nos. 0898 and 0899), issuing public health warnings against 13 unauthorized cosmetic products, including 12 perfume products and 1 whitening soap. None of these products has obtained a Certificate of Product Notification (CPN) or gone through the FDA notification procedure; consequently, their quality and safety cannot be assured. CIRS Group has summarized the key points below for the reference of relevant enterprises.
Overview of the Health Warnings
Among the 13 products flagged in this round, 12 are perfume products and 1 is a collagen bright whitening soap. Through post-marketing surveillance, the FDA verified that none of the above products had obtained a CPN as of 4 to 5 August 2026.
Health Risk Warning
The FDA pointed out that since the above products have not gone through the notification procedure, the agency cannot assure their quality and safety, and the use of such violative products may pose health risks to consumers: potential hazards may come from ingredients that are not allowed to be part of a cosmetic product or from the contamination of heavy metals. The use of substandard and possibly adulterated cosmetic products may result in adverse reactions including, but not limited to, skin irritation, itchiness, anaphylactic shock, and organ failure.
Regulatory Basis and Response Measures
Pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9711 (the "Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009") of the Philippines, the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising, or sponsorship of any health product without the proper authorization from the FDA is prohibited.
- For consumers: Do not purchase or use the above products. Before purchase, consumers may check whether a product has been authorized via the FDA Verification Portal, and all product advisories may be checked on the FDA advisories page;
- For establishments: All concerned establishments are warned not to sell, advertise, or distribute the product until it is issued with proper authorization from the FDA, otherwise further regulatory actions and sanctions shall be pursued;
- For local enforcement: All FDA Regional Field Offices and Regulatory Enforcement Units, in coordination with law enforcement agencies and Local Government Units, will ensure that violative products are not sold or made available in the market or areas of their jurisdiction.
CIRS Reminder
As can be seen from the recent series of advisories issued by the Philippine FDA, market surveillance and enforcement efforts have focused on cosmetics placed on the market without prior notification (i.e., without a CPN), especially perfume products. CIRS Group advises relevant enterprises to:
- Complete notification before placing on the market: Before placing cosmetics on the Philippine market, enterprises must complete product notification with the Philippine FDA and obtain a CPN. Although perfumes are a low-risk category, they are still a key target of enforcement surveillance;
- Compliance risks of inspired-by perfumes: Imitation perfumes named after "inspired by" (imitating the fragrance types of well-known brands) were the hardest hit in this round of advisories. Enterprises engaged in the production, importation, or distribution of such products should pay particular attention to notification compliance;
- Higher risks for whitening-claim products: Whitening products (such as the whitening soap in this round) have long been a high-risk category under regulatory scrutiny in various countries due to their special efficacy claims. Enterprises must ensure that formulas contain no banned ingredients and that claims are consistent with the notification dossier;
- Self-inspection by distributors: Importers, distributors, and e-commerce platforms should regularly verify whether the products they sell have a CPN and check the authorization status via the FDA Verification Portal, so as to avoid legal liability for selling non-notified products;
- Label and claim compliance: Product claims (such as whitening, collagen, and other efficacy claims) should be consistent with the notification dossier, and exaggerated or misleading claims should be avoided to prevent additional regulatory attention.
If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.
Our Global Compliance Services
[Regulatory Compliance Services]
- China: Compliance Consulting for Cosmetics and Ingredients
- International: Compliance Consulting for Cosmetics (EU, US, Japan, South Korea, Australia & New Zealand, ASEAN, Middle East, Mexico, Brazil, Africa)
- China and International Compliance Consulting for Disinfectants and Household Products
[Data Services]
- China: Cosmetics and Ingredients Data Services (China CosIng)
- International: Cosmetics and Ingredients Data Services covering China (including Taiwan, China), EU, North America, ASEAN, Japan, and South Korea (Global CosIng)
[Product Testing Services]
- Cosmetic Safety and Human Efficacy Testing
- Toxicological Safety Assessment for Cosmetic Ingredients
- In Vitro Efficacy Testing for Cosmetics and Ingredients
