Risk assessment on the use of triclosan in cosmetics; Development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria - II. Opinion of the Panel on Biological Hazards Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety

Abstract

Den Europa kommisjonens vitenskapskomité for forbruksvarer (SCCP) konkluderte 10. oktober 2006 med at det på grunnlag av tilgjengelige data ikke er funnet bevis for at triklosan i kosmetiske produkter kan føre til resistens – eller kryssresistensutvikling hos bakterier. Til tross for at en slik sammenheng kan være sannsynlig, finnes det ikke god dokumentasjon.<p><p>

Siden denne konklusjonen ikke svarer til Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghets (VMK) konklusjon av 31. januar 2005, har Mattilsynet bedt VMK om på nytt å vurdere konklusjonen i lys av SCCPs rapport og nyere litteratur.<p><p>

I denne rapporten konkluderer faggruppe for hygiene og smittestoffer ved VMK med at verken SSCPs rapport eller nyere litteratur gir grunnlag for å endre konklusjonen av 31. januar 2005. Tvert imot synes nyere litteratur å underbygge konklusjonen.<p><p>

Dilemmaet er at den dagen det foreligger dokumentasjon på resistensutvikling hos klinisk relevante bakterier som en følge av triklosanbruk, kan det være for sent for å avgrense problemet på en effektiv måte. Antimikrobielle stoffer som triklosan bør derfor bare benyttes i tilfeller der vitenskapelig dokumentasjon bekrefter at bruken gir en klar helsegevinst. Slik dokumentasjon etterlyses.

The Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) of European Commission concluded in its Draft Opinion on triclosan (SCCP/1040/06) of October 10th 2006 that: On the basis of the available data, the SCCP is of the opinion that there is presently no evidence of clinical resistance and cross-resistance occurring from the use of triclosan in cosmetic products. Although probable, this link has not been fully demonstrated.<p><p>

Since this conclusion differs from that made by The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety in its report of January 31st 2005, The Norwegian Food Safety Authority asked The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, Panel on Biological Hazards to reconsider their conclusion in view of the SCCP draft opinion and recently published scientific literature. The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, Panel on Biological Hazards concludes in this report that: Neither the SSCP Draft Opinion on triclosan, nor recently published scientific literature, justifies rejection of our conclusions of January 31st 2005 (The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, Panel on Biological Hazards report). If anything, recent scientific literature supports the conclusions stated in the The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, Panel on Biological Hazards report. Triclosan use may elevate the risk of increased antimicrobial resistance (coand/or cross–resistance) in clinically important bacteria.<p><p>

The dilemma posed by this issue is that if precautions are not observed, then at the time point when evidence of clinical resistance and cross-resistance becomes available, it may already be too late to contain the problem effectively. Accordingly, the use of triclosan, along with that of other antimicrobial agents, should be limited to situations for which scientific data are available demonstrating obvious health benefits.