ANNUAL REPORT 2022 | 35 During 2022, in cooperation with the competent authorities, testing of consumer products was carried out by five specialised laboratories of the SGL having developed eight control-monitoring- surveillance programmes in the framework of national and EU legislation. The consumer products tested were: pharmaceuticals (for human and veterinary use), cosmetics, children’s toys, industrial products (household chemical preparations, thermal paper, adhesives, leather articles, soft plastics, textiles, etc.) PHARMACEUTICALS The control of pharmaceuticals, along with the foodstuffs control, was one of the first priorities of the SGL since its foundation in 1932. The SGL contributed over time to ensure the quality, efficacy and safety of pharmaceuticals traded in the domestic market or produced by the Cypriot pharmaceutical industry for export. Furthermore, the frequent laboratory control contributed to the qualitative development of the Cypriot pharmaceutical industry as well as to the trade improvement of pharmaceuticals. In order to protect public health, the SGL performs quality control of pharmaceuticals for human and veterinary use, in collaboration with the competent authorities (Pharmaceutical Services of the Ministry of Health and Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment), to evaluate their quality, safety and efficiency according to the specifications of the finished product dossier of the Manufacturers Authorization Holder(MHA) and/or official compendial method. y Physicochemical and pharmaceutical specifications that are usually tested: – Quality: identification, uniformity of weight, assay of the active ingredient, uniformity of content, pH, water determination, optical rotation, clarity and degree of opalescence of liquids, refractive index. – Efficiency: disintegration of tablets, capsules and suppositories, dissolution test for solid dosage forms. – Safety: related substances, impurities, degradation products, visible and sub-visible particles in parenteral preparations). y Microbiological control: Sterility test, Limulus amoebocyte lysate endotoxin test, Bioassay. COSMETICS The SGL is also the official laboratory for the quality control of cosmetics, in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Services of the Ministry of Health. y Chemical control [determination of preservatives (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, isopropyl-, butyl- and isobutyl- parabens, sorbic and benzoic acid, 2-phenoxyethanol, triclosan, methylchloroisothiazolinone/ methylisothiazolinone), heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Cr, Co), allergens]. y Microbiological control (Presence/absence of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and enumeration of total aerobic mesopholic bacteria). CHILDRENS’ TOYS The main purpose of the control of children’s toys is to protect children and infants from exposure to chemical risks i.e., chemicals (heavy metals, phthalates, etc.) found in toys, as well as from risks from poor mechanical/physical properties or flammability. Children may be at risk from poor quality materials or poor construction of toys which can result in injury or drowning of a child. y Mechanical properties (drop test, impact tests, tension test, etc.) y Chemical control (content of phthalate esters in PVC plastic toys, migration of certain elements from wooden and metallic toys with painted surfaces, plasteline, crayons, coloured pencils, watercolours, etc.) y Flammability test in soft-filled toys, toy disguise costumes and toys intended to be entered by a child such as toy tents, play tunnels, etc. CONSUMER PRODUCTS
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