Capacity Building for Cosmetic Laboratory to be an ASEAN Cosmetic Reference Laboratory

Abstract

       Bureau of Cosmetic and Hazardous Substances, Department of Medical Sciences serve as a cosmetic reference laboratory of Thailand. The laboratory quality management system of ISO/IEC 17025 has been implemented since 1993 and has been accredited by National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA), Australia since 1995 and Bureau of Laboratory Quality Standards, Thailand since 2006. The quality management system of ISO/IEC 17043 has also been implemented since 2006 and has been accredited by NATA since 2008. These systematic processes have been conducted continuously and shared to other cosmetic laboratories of 9 ASEAN Member Countries during 2004 to 2012. The activities consisted of providing the traning courses, providing the proficiency testing for prohibited substances, supporting some reference materials and confirmation of test results to member countries. As a result, the ASEAN Cosmetic Committee and the representative from the ASEAN Cosmetic Reference Laboratory (ACRL) and establish the ASEAN Cosmetic Testing Laboratories Network (ACTLN). The established ASEAN Cosmetic Testing Laborratory Committee (ACTLC) has been designated as an important tool to support the enforcement on ASEAN Cosmetic Directive. In addition, this process has been used as a role model for the food laboratories of the ASEAN Menbers Countries. As a result, the ASEAN secretariat agrees to establish and designate the ASEAN Food Testing Laboratory Committee (AFTLC) for collaboration among ASEAN member countries.