Panama health ministry cancels registration, orders recall of two Britney Spears perfumes

Panama's Ministry of Health (Minsa) has canceled the sanitary registration and ordered the immediate withdrawal of two Britney Spears perfumes from the market. The affected products are Britney Spears Sunset Fantasy Eau de Toilette Spray and Britney Spears Fantasy Eau de Parfum Spray.

The decision, detailed in Resolutions N.º 097 and N.º 098 published on July 14, 2026, stems from findings that the perfumes contain 2-(4-tert-butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA). This substance is prohibited in cosmetic products within the European Union, as confirmed by a report from the European Commission's rapid alert system, "Safety Gate."

According to the resolution, BMHCA was classified as toxic for reproduction and subsequently included in Annex II of the EU Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009. Information from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (CCSC) supports this prohibition. The compound, also known as an aromatic aldehyde, was added to the EU's list of prohibited ingredients in October 2021 due to its classification as a substance that is carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction (CMR).

The Minsa confirmed that the products being sold in Panama match those registered under sanitary numbers N.º 103152 and N.º 106953, which were manufactured by Elizabeth Arden, Inc. The sanitary registrations for these products were valid until 2029 and 2030, respectively. The resolution mandates that distributors must submit a report to the Directorate of Pharmacy and Drugs within 30 days detailing the withdrawal of all product batches.