Cosmetics companies will have to take extra steps to ensure that products containing talc are asbestos-free under a federal rule proposed Thursday.
A proposal by the Food and Drug Administration and mandated by Congress, this proposal aims to reassure consumers about the safety of makeup, baby powder, and other personal care products.
It comes after years of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other companies alleging a link between talc-based baby powder and cancer.
Despite the claims, studies have found mixed evidence of a potential link between cancer and talc, although the possibility has been known for decades because of how it was extracted.
Talc is a mineral used to absorb moisture or improve the texture, feel and color of cosmetics. It is sometimes mined from underground deposits near the toxic mineral asbestos. The risk of cross-contamination has long been recognized by cosmetic companies.
But recent FDA-sponsored trials have not revealed any safety concerns. According to the FDA, since 2021, laboratory analysis of more than 150 cosmetic samples has come back negative for asbestos.
Still, concerns about the risk prompted Congress to pass a 2023 law requiring the FDA to issue new industry standards for asbestos testing.
Director of FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors Dr. Linda Katz said in a statement that the agency “carefully reviewed the scientific evidence and complex policy issues surrounding the detection and identification of asbestos in talc and talc-containing cosmetic products.”
“We believe the proposed test methods are appropriate methods for detecting asbestos to ensure the safety of cosmetic products containing talc,” Katz said.
A long-running lawsuit against J&J alleges that the company’s talcum powder causes women to develop ovarian cancer when used in feminine hygiene products.
A J&J subsidiary has offered to pay about $8 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits. As part of the deal, the subsidiary will declare bankruptcy, although that proposal has been challenged in court by the Justice Department.
J&J launched talcum powder in the US market in 2020 and then internationally in 2023. The company says it remains committed to the safety of its products.
Determining the root cause of cancer is difficult, especially in cases of ovarian cancer, a relatively rare form of the disease. Even large studies of thousands of women may not collect enough data to show a clear link, or may strongly rule one out. The American Cancer Society says that if there is an increased risk of cancer due to talc, it “may be very small.”
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-Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer