According to a decision announced on 3/8, the product, manufactured and marketed by Layer Clean Vietnam Joint Stock Company (Hanoi), was advertised as an organic hand wash, with a retail price of approximately 70,000 VND per bottle.

A product sample collected from a supermarket in Hanoi was tested by the National Institute of Drug Quality Control. The results revealed that the product contained two preservatives, Methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and Methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), which were not declared on the label.

The company failed to provide a cosmetic product declaration form that had been accepted by a competent authority as required. Additionally, the company's manufacturing facility in Hanoi had not been issued a Certificate of Eligibility for Cosmetic Production.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam concluded that "the product was manufactured at an unqualified facility and circulated without a cosmetic product declaration form acceptance number, violating regulations". Therefore, the agency demanded an immediate halt to the product's business and use, initiating a recall and addressing the violations.

Layer Clean Vietnam Joint Stock Company must recall and destroy all infringing products and report the results to the Drug Administration of Vietnam by 21/8. The Hanoi Department of Health will oversee the recall and coordinate with functional agencies to inspect and address acts of manufacturing and trading cosmetics without proper authorization.

Layer Clean hand wash recalled. *Photo: Layer Clean company website*

Since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Health has consistently recalled and destroyed substandard products. Most recently, five cosmetic products from Kencare Vietnam were recalled due to incomplete product information files as required. This action occurs as regulatory agencies tighten control over the pharmaceutical and cosmetic markets amidst the challenges of counterfeit goods, substandard products, and false advertising.

Le Nga