FDA Abandons Plan to Test for Asbestos in Cosmetics, Averting Potential Cancer Risk
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to kill its proposal requiring testing for toxic asbestos in talc-based cosmetics, a move that has left health campaigners stunned. The plan was signed by Robert F Kennedy Jr, leader of the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, which aims to eliminate toxins like asbestos from food, medicine, and personal care products.
The FDA's decision comes despite growing evidence linking asbestos exposure to cancer. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen that has been linked to approximately 40,000 deaths annually. Despite this, companies have been allowed to rely on testing methods that can detect only some, but not all, asbestos fibers.
Cosmetic giant Johnson & Johnson, which discontinued US talc-based baby powder sales in 2020 amid mounting public pressure and nearly 38,000 lawsuits, is facing billions of dollars in settlements for allegedly knowingly poisoning consumers. The company's high-profile cases highlight the risks associated with asbestos contamination in personal care products.
Regulating asbestos has been a contentious issue, with an initial 1989 EPA ban being quickly overturned by a court. Efforts to pass similar bans have failed over the years, despite clear dangers and widespread use.
Critics argue that the FDA's decision is misguided, citing the potential for "unintended consequences" that may favor companies rather than public health. Environmental Working Group Vice-President Scott Faber described the move as "tragic" and noted that Kennedy Jr, who signed the order, has a history of advocating for people's health.
In its notice announcing the withdrawal of the proposed rule, the FDA cited concerns about potential "unintended consequences" in relation to pharmaceutical companies. However, this decision leaves many wondering whether the agency prioritized corporate interests over public health and safety.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to kill its proposal requiring testing for toxic asbestos in talc-based cosmetics, a move that has left health campaigners stunned. The plan was signed by Robert F Kennedy Jr, leader of the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, which aims to eliminate toxins like asbestos from food, medicine, and personal care products.
The FDA's decision comes despite growing evidence linking asbestos exposure to cancer. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen that has been linked to approximately 40,000 deaths annually. Despite this, companies have been allowed to rely on testing methods that can detect only some, but not all, asbestos fibers.
Cosmetic giant Johnson & Johnson, which discontinued US talc-based baby powder sales in 2020 amid mounting public pressure and nearly 38,000 lawsuits, is facing billions of dollars in settlements for allegedly knowingly poisoning consumers. The company's high-profile cases highlight the risks associated with asbestos contamination in personal care products.
Regulating asbestos has been a contentious issue, with an initial 1989 EPA ban being quickly overturned by a court. Efforts to pass similar bans have failed over the years, despite clear dangers and widespread use.
Critics argue that the FDA's decision is misguided, citing the potential for "unintended consequences" that may favor companies rather than public health. Environmental Working Group Vice-President Scott Faber described the move as "tragic" and noted that Kennedy Jr, who signed the order, has a history of advocating for people's health.
In its notice announcing the withdrawal of the proposed rule, the FDA cited concerns about potential "unintended consequences" in relation to pharmaceutical companies. However, this decision leaves many wondering whether the agency prioritized corporate interests over public health and safety.
seriously? asbestos in cosmetics? like, come on... can't they just put a warning label or something? 
i mean, i get it, testing is hard and all that jazz, but what's the point of regulating if you're gonna roll over whenever someone gets a little too pushy? 
it's not like companies aren't gonna find ways to skirt around the rules... they've been doing it for years. 
. It's like we're trying to play a game of Russian roulette with our bodies. We know asbestos is toxic, it's been linked to cancer and all that, but still they're allowing these companies to just test for the bare minimum? That doesn't seem right, you know? It's like they're saying "oh, it's not worth it" or something... I'm not buying it 
. And what really gets me is that they're citing "unintended consequences" as a reason for backing out of this. What does that even mean? Are we just going to sit back and let our own health suffer because some corporation might make a profit from it? I don't think so... 
. I'm definitely not happy with this decision...
what's wrong with these ppl? asbestos is like, super toxic and kills 40k ppl a year 
and they're just gonna let companies get away with testing methods that can't even detect all the bad stuff? it's like, basic math, folks! 
if you know the risk, you gotta take steps to mitigate it. this FDA decision is straight up corporate-kissed and it's a tragedy for people who use these products daily 
. the fda's decision to abandon testing for asbestos in cosmetics just makes no sense to me... like, aren't they even considering our lives and health? 
.
. Companies have a way of finding loopholes that suit their agenda. Asbestos is like the ultimate example of "out of sight, out of mind" 
. The FDA's decision feels like just another step back in the direction of prioritizing profits over people's lives