FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 25, 2025 

STATEMENT ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S WITHDRAWAL OF THE FDA’S ASBESTOS TESTING RULE FOR TALC-BASED COSMETICS

Americans Will Remain At Risk As Trump Administration Disregards Both Scientific Consensus And Congressional Intent

Linda Reinstein, Mesothelioma Widow and Cofounder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, released the following (ADAO) statement following news that the Trump Administration would withdraw the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed rule that would have established and standardized and scientifically validated test methods for detecting asbestos in talc-based cosmetics: 

“This decision is a profound setback for public health and consumer safety. Scrapping this common sense requirement not only ignores a clear Congressional directive, but also leaves millions of Americans vulnerable to preventable asbestos exposure.

Asbestos is a lethal carcinogen with no safe level of exposure. Decades of evidence demonstrate that talc—a common cosmetic ingredient which is often found in close proximity to asbestos—can be contaminated during mining, manufacturing, and product formulation. 

Withdrawing the rule removes basic protections for consumers, especially women and children, who are disproportionately exposed through daily personal care routines. Scientific research continues to show the consequences: inhaling even a microscopic asbestos fiber can cause deadly illnesses including mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and other asbestos-related diseases. These diseases can develop decades after exposure. 

The FDA’s retreat from its regulatory responsibilities leaves the public at risk and disregards both scientific consensus and Congressional intent. Congress mandated this rule as part of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 because the current testing framework is outdated, inconsistent, and incapable of reliably identifying all asbestos fibers. 

Without standardized, legally enforceable testing methods, cosmetic companies may continue relying on incomplete or outdated detection techniques that fail to identify all hazardous asbestos fibers. This decision will allow contaminated talc-based products to remain on shelves and in homes, perpetuating exposure that is entirely preventable.

Protecting the public from asbestos should never be optional — and when preventing deadly exposure is as simple as conducting better testing to detect a potentially lethal contaminant, it is negligent. The withdrawal of this rule represents a dangerous rollback of essential health protections. Without rigorous science, transparency, and accountability, the health and safety of Americans will remain at risk.”

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