By Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI)`s Institute for the Study of Food, Medicine and Cosmetics has claimed that many drugs and cosmetics widely available in Indonesia might contain substances considered not to be halal.
"Drug and cosmetic products with certain active ingredients that are yet to be approved as halal need to be reviewed for assurance," deputy chairman of the institute Anna P. Roswiem told a seminar on halal drugs and cosmetics Tuesday.
The institute said the substances include placenta, collagen and hyaluronic acid, which are used in a variety of skin products and to treat scars and burns.
"For example, placenta might come from a permitted animal, but the way people slaughter the animal might not be considered halal," Anna said, adding that human placenta was deemed haram or not permitted.
Skin products that contain placenta may come in several forms such as tablets, capsules or jelly.
Collagen, used to treat burns and in cosmetic surgery to "plump" lips and fill in lines, could come from cows, which was permitted, or pigs, which was not, she said, adding that hyaluronic acid could come from human fetuses, which was also not permitted.
Halal Watch chairman Nurbowo said that human placenta had been used as an ingredient in cosmetics since 1940s for its believed anti-aging affects on human skin.
"Based on our survey in March 2007, many of the respondents are asking for drug and cosmetic products to have halal certification despite their limited knowledge of the ingredients," said Nurbowo.
The institute also needs more than their expertise to officially announce some products as halal.
"Our job as a unit of MUI is to test those properties scientifically. Those substances need to be announced as not halal by the MUI to be official," Anna said.
Halal certification, she said, might cost a company up to Rp 2.5 million (US$275) per product.
"Those who don`t want to have certification could be suspected of containing not permitted substances as the certification is actually not expensive," said Anna.
She said many people still thought that cosmetic products did not have to pass halal classification.
"By definition, cosmetics are used outside the body. However, there are some products that are actually consumed orally," Anna said.
Based on a study by the institute, only five of the 120 pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies operating in Indonesia have official halal certification.
Jurnalis Uddin, a medical expert from Yarsi University said that most active ingredients for local pharmaceutical products came from outside Indonesia.
"The procedure in creating the ingredients also follows the procedure of the main factory in that particular country which may not be halal," he said.
Source: www.muslimnews.co.uk (23 April 2007)
