Feb 06, Kathmandu - The Nepal Medical Association has demanded strict regulation of daily-use toothpaste and other beauty products. The association has expressed serious concern over the presence of lead in oral hygiene products and various beauty products, which are harmful to human health.

Stating that a recent study report released by the Center for Public Health and Environment Promotion (CEFED) has shown serious facts, the association has demanded the Nepal government to strictly regulate the quality of such products that seriously affect the health of the general public, including children.

The association has stated that it is a serious matter that 31 percent of the samples collected from shops in various cities of the country were found to contain lead exceeding the internationally accepted standards.

The association has stated that lead was found in 45 percent of daily-use toothpaste samples and some products available in the market for children.

Dr. Sanjiv Tiwari, general secretary of the association, said that there is scientific evidence that lead exposure in children hinders intellectual development, causes learning difficulties, behavioral problems, and has serious negative effects on vision, hearing, and the nervous system in the long term.