A working group of representatives from eight federal agencies is calling for the Food & Drug Administration to require more advanced screening, consistent terminology and stronger regulatory criteria for cosmetic products containing talc. A meeting at the FDA on Feb.4 marked the first time in 50 years that the agency had publicly discussed the presence of asbestos in cosmetics, including talcum powder. Attorney Leigh O’Dell with the law firm of Beasley Allen testified at the meeting.

“Imaging technology and techniques from the 1960s are outdated and incapable of detecting microscopic fibers of asbestos and similar carcinogens found in cosmetic talc,” she said. “The identification of the millions of fibers found in a jar of Baby Powder should be based not on academic or geological definitions, but the health effects that those fibers have in the human body. These regulations must be upgraded and standardized to protect public health.”

For more information, please contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or barry@androvett.com.