The COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in demand for disinfectants, so a number of countries fast-tracked the supply chain of products by relying on special provisions in biocidal regulations

China’s Ministry of Ecology and the Environment published the final version of the MEE Order 12 “Measures for the Environmental Management of New Chemical Substances” to replace MEP Order 7

Deciding whether a product is classed as a cosmetic, biocide or medicinal product can be a complex task. Many products have dual purposes such as antibacterial hand washes and as such can fall under different regulations. Our new whitepaper by Dr Stacey Webster aims to provide guidance on borderline products within Europe and provide a comparison to the United States with an emphasis on soaps, hand washes, cleansers and wipes.

Spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus increased demand for disinfectants globally so countries around the globe have put in place emergency legislations and derogations to respond to the crisis.

Under the Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR) it is required to indicate the spectrum of viruses on which the product was proven to be efficient when tested using specific methods in order to make a claim. Claims on specific organisms when they may give a false impression of superiority of a product compared to other products on the market are not allowed. In addition, such claims may shift the definition of a product from being biocide to being defined as medical.