Article date: 21/04/2009
News Bulletin
Trichocare has stepped up efforts to get marketing authority from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for Colourstart . Independent research commissioned by the University of Bedfordshire into the colour generic-test product’s predictive ability to screen out clients most at risk to a severe allergy to hair colour was expected to be published in the May/June issue of the European Journal of Dermatology. Nick Plunkett, commercial director, said: “It was an extremely positive research outcome and the tests into the ability to predict people most at risk of having a severe reaction to hair dye has been proven.” Plunkett said the next step in securing marketing authority was to submit a dossier to the MHRA but he could not say how long this would take to compile. He said it was Trichocare’s ambition to carry out thorough market research among the industry and the public. This would include measuring public awareness of allergy to hair colour and the risks involved. Trichocare is able to sell Colourstart even though it has not got marketing authority on the basis of “a confidential understanding” between Trichocare and the MHRA (SalonFocus September-October 2008). The MHRA told SalonFocus last year that it sometimes allowed a product to remain on the market while formal compliance action was under way where there was no known serious risk. Salonsure insurance covers salons that use the Colourstart test which clients can carry out at home. The test for allergy to paraphenylenediamine, found in permanent hair dyes, is regarded as an alternative method to the current colour manufacturers’ recommendations. But salons must carry out one or the other.