Unexpected FDA Reversal on Asbestos Testing in Talc Cosmetics
In a move that has left health advocates disappointed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn a proposed rule from December 2024. This rule would have required standardized asbestos testing for cosmetic products containing talc. The regulation, which was set to mandate manufacturers to test products such as foundation, mascara, and eye shadow for the cancer-causing contaminant, was retracted following 49 public comments that raised technical and legal concerns.
The proposed regulation was a component of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022. It would have necessitated testing using both Polarized Light Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy methods. Any detectable presence of asbestos would have deemed products adulterated under federal law.
The FDA has stated its intentions to devise a “more comprehensive approach” in the future. Meanwhile, the European Union is progressing with plans to ban talc in cosmetics by 2027.
Source: Newsweek