Manufacturers of baby powder and cosmetics made with talc would have to test them for asbestos under a proposal announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The agency's proposal comes at the direction of Congress, which passed legislation last year requiring the FDA to take action. Asbestos, a known human carcinogen, is found in the same rock types as talc deposits and may be mixed during the mining process, potentially causing product contamination and raising public concerns about asbestos risks.
The FDA's proposed rule would require manufacturers to test samples of talc-containing cosmetic products for asbestos using methods such as polarized light and transmission electron microscopy (which illuminates samples with a beam of electrons). Alternatively, companies can rely on certificates of analysis from talc suppliers, the agency said.
Linda Katz, MD, director of the FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colorants, said in a press release Thursday: “We believe the proposed testing technology is an appropriate method to detect asbestos and help ensure that products containing talc Safety of cosmetics.
The agency's proposed rule falls short of the talc ban that advocates such as the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) have called for.
A long-running lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson accuses the company's talc babies of causing ovarian cancer in women. Company in June Agree to pay $700 million to settle charges that the company misled people about the safety of its talc products in its marketing.
A J&J unit has proposed paying about $8 billion to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits. As part of the deal, the subsidiary will declare bankruptcy, although the proposal has been challenged in court by the Justice Department.
Johnson & Johnson has been deleted Talc powder on the market It will be available in North America in 2020 and internationally in 2023.
The company said it will continue to insist on the safety of its products.
In 2019, FDA Asbestos found Cosmetics sold by Claire's Stores contained the substance, prompting a recall by the retailer and Beauty Plus Global. Most recently, New Jersey-based Dynarex in late October Expand recall scope Due to potential asbestos contamination, Dynacare Baby Powder was shipped to 35 states and sold on Amazon.
contributed to this report.
