The draft Bill for the regulation of cosmetics would be open for public opinion in January of next year (2026), the Chairperson of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Dr. Ananda Wijewickrema said. 

Fielding questions, Dr. Wijewickrema told The Daily Morning that the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) had appointed a committee to draft the Bill some time earlier, and that the draft bill had been put before the stakeholders for their opinions. He noted there was a proper review being done on the opinions submitted by the stakeholders at present. The draft Bill would be open for public viewing by January 2026. 

He said however that it is still too early to say how cosmetics – especially fairness products being advertised on social media and being smuggled into the country in baggage - would be monitored and regulated. 

The NMRA is currently utilising the provisions given by the Cosmetics, Devices and Drugs Act (CDDA), No. 27 of 1980 which was repealed when the NMRA Act was introduced, to monitor cosmetic products. Well-informed senior Health sources expressed fear that the delay in introducing a proper regulation on the barrage of cosmetics entering the country was due to the NMRA and the Health Ministry in particular being more interested in getting an Act mainly to regulate imported cosmetics. However, there were questions as to whether this would also regulate the cosmetics produced as a cottage industry.  They further noted the NMRA being an independent body under the purview of the Health Minister, the CDDA had been under the DGHS which was why there was strong control on cosmetics some years earlier. “We will have to wait and see,” they observed. 

Attempts made to contact the DGHS proved futile.