January17,2018SusanT.Mayne,Ph.D.,F.A.C.E.Director,CenterforFoodSafetyandAppliedNutritionFoodandDrugAdministration5001CampusDriveCollegePark,MD20740Re:Rodan+FieldsFalseandMisleadingRepresentationontheFDA’sStanceonBenzophenoneDearDirectorMayne:IamwritingonbehalfoftheEnvironmentalWorkingGroup.Giventhepublichealthinterestinassuringthesafetyofcosmeticproductsonthemarket,EWGisdeeplyconcernedaboutthefalseandmisleadingrepresentationsmadebythemulti-levelmarketingcosmeticscompanyRodan+FieldsconcerningtheFDA’sstanceonbenzophenone,aningredientfoundincosmeticsthatisknowntocausecancer.Rodan+Fieldshasseveralproductsthatcontaintheingredientbenzophenone.Asbenzophenoneisaknowncarcinogen,pursuanttoCalifornia’sSafeDrinkingWaterandToxicEnforcementActof1986(“Proposition65”),Rodan+Fieldsisrequiredtoprovideawarningtoconsumers.Rodan+Fields’websiteprovidesthefollowingwarning1:

ForCaliforniacustomers:WARNING:Thisproductcanexposeyoutochemicalsincluding

Benzophenone,whichisknowntotheStateofCaliforniatocausecancer.Formoreinformationgotowww.p65warnings.ca.gov.ClickhereforinformationabouttheFDA’spositiononBenzophenone.

Ofgraveconcernisthatthe“Clickhere”linkisnottotheFDA’spositiononbenzophenone,butrather,alinktoacosmeticsindustryfundedwebsite.ThelinkedwebsiteisrunbythePersonalCareProductsCouncil(“PCPC”),whichisthenationaltradeassociationrepresentingtheglobalcosmeticsandpersonalcareproductsindustry.ThepurposeofProposition65istohelpCaliforniansmakeinformeddecisionstoprotectthemselvesfromchemicalsknowntocausecancer,birthdefects,orotherreproductiveharm.Aspartofthelaw,businessessellingproductstopeopleinCalifornia,suchasRodan+Fields,mustprovide“clearandreasonablewarnings”beforeknowinglyexposingpeopletoanychemicalonthestate’slistofchemicalsknowntocausecancer,whichincludesbenzophenone.Rodan+Fields’warningisneitherclearnorreasonable,asitfalselyrepresentsthattheFDA’spositiononbenzophenoneisthesameasPCPC’sposition.This1 https://www.rodanandfields.com/Shop/Product/RVRBH01.

biasedinformationdeprivesconsumersthefullknowledgeoftherisksofusingRodan+Fields’productsandinducesconsumerstopurchasetheirproductsbaseduponfalseandmisleadinginformation.Rodan+Fields’deceptivemisrepresentationcreatesanimpressionofofficialFDAapprovalofboththelinkedcontentandthecompany’suseofbenzophenoneinitscosmeticproducts.ItalsoraisesseriousconcernsastowhetherRodan+FieldsviolatestheFederalTradeCommission’struth-in-advertisinglawsandregulations(15U.S.C.§§52-54)andwhethertheProposition65disclosureisbeingmade“clearlyandconspicuously,”asrequiredbytheFTC.Likewise,themisrepresentationmayamounttoaviolationoftheFederalFood,DrugandCosmeticAct(21U.S.C.§352)andtheFairPackagingandLabelingAct(15U.S.C.§1451),whichprohibitmisbrandingandfalseandmisleadinglabeling.ThismisrepresentationalsoamountstoaviolationofCalifornia’sFalseAdvertisingLaw,CaliforniaBusiness&ProfessionsCode§§17500,etseq.,whichmakesitunlawfulforanycorporationintendingtosellproductstomakeanystatementinconnectiontherewithwhichisuntrueormisleading,andwhichisknown,orwhichbytheexerciseofreasonablecareshouldbeknown,tobeuntrueormisleading.Rodan+Fields’deceptivepracticeofprovidingconsumerswithcosmeticsindustrysupportedinformationundertheguisethattheinformationistheFDA’spositiononthecarcinogenicingredientisbothuntrueandmisleading.Rodan+Fields’representationthatthegovernment’spositiononbenzophenoneisthesameasthebiased,industrysupportedinformationisimmoral,unethical,misleading,andinjurioustoconsumers.Intheinterestofconsumerprotectionandthesafetyofcosmeticproducts,EWGcallsupontheFDAtodemandRodan+Fieldsremoveitsfalseandmisleadingrepresentationsfromitswebsite.Ilookforwardtohearingfromyouwithanupdate.Thankyouverymuch.Sincerely,CarolineLearyAttorney,EWG