The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn its proposed rule for testing and identifying potential asbestos contamination in cosmetic products containing talc.
The rule entitled ‘Testing Methods for Detecting and Identifying Asbestos in Talc-Containing Cosmetic Products’ was originally published in the Federal Register on 27 December 2024.
The proposed rule, if finalised, would have required manufacturers of talc-containing cosmetic products to test products before using the talc to manufacture them.
Failure to comply with the rule's testing would result in the FDA deeming a cosmetic product to be adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
The proposal formed part of the US agency’s work to fulfil the requirements of section 3505 of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA).
The FDA said “good cause” exists to withdraw the proposed rule at this time, over the scientific, technical, and legal complexities raised during the public comment.
“We are withdrawing the proposed rule to reconsider [the] best means of addressing the issues covered by the proposed rule and broader principles to reduce exposure to asbestos, and to ensure that any standardised testing method requirements for detecting asbestos in talc-containing cosmetic products help protect users of talc-containing cosmetic products from harmful exposure to asbestos,” the FDA said in a statement
Talc has long been used in cosmetics to absorb moisture, prevent the appearance of caking and opacify facial make-up products.
It can also be used to improve the feel of products.
However, cancer-causing asbestos is found in the same rock types as talc deposits and may be inseparable from talc in the mining process.