Vietnam: MOH Tightens Grip on Sunscreen Market

The Drug Administration of Vietnam has issued a significant directive to enhance the management and oversight of cosmetic products, focusing on sunscreens. Dated 19 May 2025, this move signals a stronger commitment to consumer safety and combating fraudulent practices in the cosmetics market.

This directive is a direct response to a series of high-level government mandates aimed at curbing counterfeit goods, trade fraud, and intellectual property infringement across various sectors. DVA emphasized that this intensified effort is crucial to safeguarding consumer rights and improving the effectiveness of post-market cosmetic inspections.

What This Means for Cosmetic Businesses

Manufacturers, distributors, traders, and all stakeholders responsible for bringing cosmetic products to market are also included under heightened scrutiny and must comply with the following:

• Robust Product Information Files (PIF): Stakeholders must ensure their PIFs are complete and accurate, especially regarding the methods and results of SPF determination. These files must be readily available for inspection by authorities

• Compliance of Announcement Forms: The content of cosmetic product announcement forms that claim sun protection must be meticulously reviewed to ensure full compliance with current regulations

• Accurate and Compliant Labeling: Product labels claiming sun protection and SPF values must align with labeling regulations, be accurate, consistent with the announced product information, and adhere to ASEAN guidelines for sunscreen product labeling.

  
  

Key Directives for Provincial and City Departments of Health:

Provincial and city Departments of Health are now tasked with the immediate and rigorous implementation of the new guidelines, including:

• Comprehensive Review of Product Announcements: A thorough review of all cosmetic product announcement forms that claim sun protection properties is required to ensure strict compliance with current regulations

• Revocation on Non-Compliant Announcements: Any announcement numbers that do not meet the stipulated regulations will be revoked

• Labelling and Advertising Scrutiny: Functional units are ordered to inspect the labelling and advertising of all sunscreen products within their jurisdiction

• Increased SPF Testing: Testing centres are directed to boost their efforts in sampling sunscreen cosmetics to accurately determine their Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

• Prompt Reporting and Action: Departments must promptly report any violations of sunscreen cosmetic samples to the Drug Administration for necessary recall, destruction, and strict penalties according to the regulations

  
  

This concerted effort by the Vietnamese authorities underscores the growing global concern over the authenticity and efficacy of cosmetic products, particularly sunscreens, which play a vital role in public health. Businesses in the cosmetic sector are urged to review their practices and ensure full compliance to avoid penalties and contribute to a safer market for consumers.

Source: Drug Administration of Vietnam (DAV)