Safety and Efficacy Testing of Topical Products; Practical Considerations

Abstract

This chapter provides an insight into the safety and efficacy testing of topical products, both pharmaceutical and cosmetic, including various factors that govern them. It examines the significance of the knowledge of consumer habits, the knowledge of product formulation, regulatory compliance needs, and the necessity to adapt a practical approach in product efficacy evaluation. It also dwells on the importance of various evaluation techniques such as, precise quantitative evaluation using advanced instruments, semiquantitative evaluation by dermatologists using clinical scales, and self-evaluation by the participants/consumers. It addresses the issue of how claims and ethics play an important decisive role in the study design and planning.