Public Disclosure of Laboratory Tests According to Drugs, Food and Cosmetics Laws for Consumer Protection

Abstract

Objective: To study legal requirement and compare the process for public disclosure of laboratory tests according to the laws of drugs, food and cosmetics (DFC). Method: This research consisted of 3 parts: 1) documental research on related laws, criteria and procedures for public disclosure of test results of drugs, food and cosmetics (DFC), 2) survey of public disclosure of laboratory tests on DFC among 76 public health offices during 2012-2018 by using questionnaires and 3) In-depth interviews and focus group discussions in the Head of Consumer Protection and Public Health Pharmacy of 9 provincial public health offices that had disclosed laboratory tests on DFC to the public and officials at legal department of food and drug law in  Food and Drug Administration, responsible for public disclosure of laboratory tests of health products to reach the conclusion on criteria, approaches and procedures in public disclosure of test results on DFC. Result: Public disclosure of laboratory test of DFC was not considered as an administrative order. The law DFC prescribes rules or conditions for consideration of public announcement of testing results and had different procedures among the Acts. According to the law, public announcement of the result from food analysis was authorized at the provincial level, while those for drugs and cosmetics had not been authorized to the province level. Survey of public announcement of the analysis result of DFC of 76 Public Health Offices revealed 58 never made such announcement (76.31%) The reasons for not doing so were no laboratory results needed to be announced (36.84 percent), followed by supervisor choosing not to make announcement (27.63%) and being not confident on the legitimacy of announcement (23.68%). All nineteen provinces having announced laboratory test in the past proposed the disclosure to both the governor and the Chief of Provincial Public Health for endorsement of the announcement on food testing. Conclusion: The Food and Drug Administration should review the authorization of the announcement of the result from laboratory testing of unsafe cosmetics in order to make such announcement flexible and in time. In addition, the warning system of the Department of Medical Sciences should be used to make public announcement on the results of the analysis of unsafe products in time.