Seeking to Protect Access to Boric Acid, pH-D Feminine Health, Women's Health Experts Applaud New California Law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. and NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Senate Bill 39 (SB 39) for Cosmetic Safety Act was signed into law today by the Governor of California. Authored by State Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, M.D., a board-certified OB-GYN, the measure marks a milestone in women's access to cosmetic products including a lengthy period of exemption for boric acid suppositories from the state's broader chemical ban.

For a decade, pH-D Feminine Health raised awareness of the utility of boric acid to help protect the ingredient's role, advance the science and make solutions available to women who need them.

"This conversation is much bigger than a product," said Deeannah Seymour, co-founder and CEO of pH-D Feminine Health. "It is about access, affordability and collaborating with policymakers, scientists and regulators to keep women at the center of the conversation. No other company has engaged at this level with scientists, regulators and lawmakers to attempt to protect the availability of boric acid."

This collaboration, along with medical experts and advocacy groups, helped ensure science guided the law. "This legislation is important to women's access to health solutions," said Sen. Weber Pierson. "SB 39 recognizes that clinical guidelines also reflect use of boric acid in medical practice. SB 39 represents a common-sense measure that balances safety with access."

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and recognition by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) also continue to note boric acid in specific clinical contexts.

Boric acid has supported women's wellness in cosmetic retail applications for over a century. SB 39 also recognizes published research from Johns Hopkins University reflecting that healthcare providers have turned to intravaginal boric acid in the practice of medicine, as well.

As part of their wellness routine, thousands of women rely on boric acid suppositories. pH-D Feminine Health was the first to make boric acid suppositories commercially available in 2014.

Jack D. Sobel, MD, board-certified practicing infectious disease specialist and distinguished professor of medicine who has authored more than 600 scientific publications, supports SB 39 as a safeguard for continued access. "Removing boric acid from retail shelves in California could have negative outcomes for women," noted Sobel.

Women across the country rely on boric acid as a part of their everyday needs. It's important that boric acid products remain available where and when they are needed most. For many communities, large retailers are the primary source for women's cosmetic essentials. Ensuring access to these products is critical.

"Despite a long history of use, incomparable boric acid data unrelated to women's health had been used to inform clinical decisions related to the use of boric acid plays in vaginal and vulvar applications," Seymour added. "Driven by a large and growing body of data, we are pleased that Senate Bill 39 includes this exemption for boric acid suppositories,"concluded Seymour.

With the exemption, cosmetic boric acid suppositories remain available at major retailers nationwide. Other cosmetic boric acid products will continue to be available online at pH-D Feminine Health and at select retailers outside the state of California. These boric acid products are expected to be reformulated for select retailers by Jan. 1, 2027.

About pH-D Feminine Health

Female owned and operated since 2014, pH-D Feminine Health pioneered boric acid suppository products. The pH-D boric acid vaginal suppository is investigational and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment, cure, or prevention of vulvovaginal candidiasis or any other disease or condition. The company's products are available online and at major retailers nationwide. Co-founder Deeannah Seymour, has been named Forbes 50 Over 50: Innovation 2025, an Inc. 5000 honoree and EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in Consumer Products and Retail. Visit phdfemininehealth.com.

Contact: Kellee Johnson for pH-D Feminine Health, 312-751-3959, [email protected]

SOURCE pH-D Feminine Health