FDA Reconsiders Proposed Asbestos Testing Rule for Cosmetics
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently retracted a proposed rule that would have mandated standardized testing for asbestos in talc-containing cosmetic products. This decision comes only weeks after the initial announcement of the regulation in December 2024.
The rule, which was a requirement under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, would have obligated manufacturers to conduct product testing using both Polarized Light Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy before incorporating talc ingredients.
The FDA has stated that it received comments raising “scientific, technical, and legal complexities” that necessitate further consideration. Under the now withdrawn proposal, any detection of asbestos at any level would have deemed products adulterated under federal law.
The agency has emphasized that “good cause exists to withdraw the proposed rule at this time” and has confirmed that it will issue a revised proposal to fulfill regulatory obligations.
This development arises amid ongoing concerns about asbestos contamination in cosmetic products, particularly those marketed to children. Environmental groups have documented instances of asbestos contamination in various talc-based cosmetics through 2023.
Source: Federal Register