Guidelines intended to provide assistance in relation to the cosmetic-therapeutic interface, with respect to product claims, were launched by Senator Rosemary Crowley in December 1994.

The document, "Cosmetic Claims Guidelines" <http://www.tga.gov.au/docs/html/cosclaim.htm>, was developed by the National Coordinating Committee on Therapeutic Goods (NCCTG), following input from the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association of Australia (CTFAA), to remove much of the doubt as to what is a cosmetic claim.

The guidelines are intended to assist cosmetic companies to avoid straying into the area of medicinal-type claims. For example, cosmetic products must not claim to stop or reverse the ageing process, stimulate cell respiration or the circulation of blood, remove toxins or influence biological function. Products which make such therapeutic claims are subject to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, and therefore, must be included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) before they can be supplied.

The Cosmetic Claims Guidelines, alongside the CTFAA's Code of Conduct, are expected to provide sufficient guidance to sponsors concerning the cosmetic-therapeutic interface, and to help them decide whether their products will be positioned in the market as cosmetics or therapeutic goods.