The Food and Drug Administration has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have required cosmetics manufacturers to test talc-containing products for asbestos contamination. This unexpected decision, announced late last month, has alarmed public health advocates who have long campaigned to eliminate asbestos exposure through consumer products. The highly carcinogenic mineral, which has no safe exposure level, is linked to a host of deadly diseases, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and ovarian cancer.
The Withdrawn Regulation and Its Implications
The now-withdrawn rule, originally published in December 2024, would have established standardized testing methods for detecting asbestos in talc-containing cosmetics. This regulation was mandated by the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA), which required the FDA to implement testing protocols to protect consumers from potential asbestos exposure.
Had the regulation been finalized, manufacturers would have been required to test either their finished cosmetic products containing talc or the talc ingredient itself before use. Companies would also have needed to maintain records demonstrating compliance with testing requirements. Any product containing asbestos or lacking proper testing documentation would have been classified as “adulterated” under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
The Reason for the Proposed Rule Withdrawal
The withdrawal notice, signed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., cited “good cause” for this decision, referencing the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) priorities. The FDA stated it needed to reconsider “the best means of addressing the issues covered by the proposed rule and broader principles to reduce exposure to asbestos.”
According to the withdrawal notice, the FDA received 49 comments during the public comment period that “warrant further consideration and assessment prior to issuing final regulations.” The agency did not specify the nature of these comments but indicated they raised complex scientific, technical, and legal considerations.
Talc in Consumer Products: Widespread Use and Potential Dangers
Talc, a naturally occurring mineral, is widely used in cosmetics for its moisture-absorbing properties and silky texture. It appears in numerous beauty products, including eye shadows, foundations, lipsticks, and mascaras, typically listed on labels as talcum powder, talc, or magnesium silicate.
The mineral’s use extends beyond cosmetics into food products, medications, and personal care items. According to research published by Dr. George Tidmarsh, former director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, talc “is used in virtually all kinds of flavored chewing gum, candy, as well as many kinds of commonly consumed OTC supplement pill tablets.” Tidmarsh et al also warn in the April 2025 report that “[T]he WHO Food Standards database CODEX—a list of common food and additive combinations—reports over 50 everyday foods that may contain talc.”
Alleged Link Between Talc and Asbestos Exposure
The safety concern surrounding the presence of talc in popular cosmetics stems from talc’s geological relationship with asbestos. Both minerals form under similar conditions, often in close proximity in the earth, making asbestos contamination of talc possible during mining. When talc deposits are extracted, asbestos fibers may be present and difficult to separate completely.
In 2020, Johnson & Johnson announced that it would discontinue its talcum-based baby powder in North America, amid mounting litigation and reports suggesting that the company knew about asbestos contamination risks. The company has paid billions in settlements related to allegations that its talc products caused cancer, particularly among women who used talcum powder for feminine hygiene and developed ovarian cancer.
Health Risks Potentially Associated with Asbestos Exposure
Exposure to asbestos presents serious potential health risks, so much so that there is no established safe threshold. The carcinogenic material is linked to approximately 40,000 deaths in the United States each year, and is conclusively linked to several deadly conditions:
- Mesothelioma: A rare, aggressive cancer affecting the lining of the lungs, heart, or abdomen
- Lung cancer: Particularly when combined with other risk factors like smoking
- Ovarian cancer: Associated with perineal use of talc-containing products
- Asbestosis: A chronic lung disease causing scarring of lung tissue
Asbestos Testing Challenges and Limitations
The cosmetics industry has historically relied on testing methods that critics say can detect some, but not all, asbestos fibers in talc-based products. In 2020, laboratory tests commissioned by the Environmental Working Group found asbestos in nearly 15% of talc-based cosmetic samples analyzed, highlighting the prevalence of the mineral and the limitations of current screening protocols.
The FDA’s decision to withdraw its proposed testing rule highlights the complex interplay between scientific evidence, regulatory responsibility, and industry concerns. As the agency reconsiders its approach, the fundamental question remains: how best to protect consumers from potential asbestos exposure while establishing practical, effective testing standards for cosmetics manufacturers.
Talcum Powder Lawsuit Information
Reviewing the Safety of our Foods and Drugs: An Urgent Need for a Comprehensive Reevaluation by FDA of Talc in The American Food and Drug Supply, Journal of the Academy of Public Health
J&J Discontinues Talc-Based Baby Powder Amid Nearly 20,000 Cancer Claims, Leading Justice
Biden-Harris Administration finalizes ban on ongoing uses of asbestos to protect people from cancer, EPA
Analysis: Talc-Based Cosmetics Test Positive for Asbestos, EWG
