FDA Holds Public Hearing On Cosmetic Talc Reclassification As Drug Ingredient

Because of continued safety and contamination issues, the government is thinking of treating cosmetic talc as a medication ingredient

Sunday, August 24, 2025 - Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a public hearing that many people were looking forward to. The hearing was to decide if cosmetic talc products should be classed as medication ingredients. If this happens, it might mean harsher rules for the whole personal care business. Scientists, health professionals, regulators, and talcum powder lawyers who have been closely following lawsuits related to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma gave testimony during the session. The main point of the discussion is whether decades of widespread usage of talc in body powders and other goods can still be defended in light of growing evidence of possible health effects and concerns about asbestos contamination. For people who are suing over baby powder cancer, the hearing was a big step toward holding companies more accountable because reclassifying the powder would mean that companies would have to fulfill stricter safety, testing, and labeling criteria. Representatives from the industry, on the other hand, defended talc's long history of use, saying that current voluntary safety measures are enough and that stricter rules would be too much work.

The FDA's official testimony at the hearing said that agency scientists looked at decades of studies and recent findings that linked talc to bad health effects. They stressed that cosmetic talc products don't need to be approved before they can be sold or go through safety tests, even though many people use them every day on sensitive parts of their bodies. The FDA has done limited sampling programs and sent out safety alerts when asbestos was found in some products, but those steps weren't enough. If the FDA changed the classification of talc to a drug ingredient, it would have more power to require testing, make clear warning labels, and issue recalls when contamination is found. At the session, public health activists said that consumers have been vulnerable for too long and that the science now supports tougher federal regulation. Several other countries have already limited or banned talc in cosmetics, which makes the U.S. an outlier when it comes to rules. Thousands of people, including advocacy groups and doctors, sent in public comments calling for mandatory disclosure and stronger enforcement. They pointed to the tens of thousands of lawsuits as proof that current oversight is not enough.

The FDA's decision on reclassification could have a big impact on how talc is handled in the legal system and in stores in the future. Lawyers for people who have cancer from baby powder think that the move would make their cases stronger in court by getting the federal government to admit that using talc is dangerous. Reclassifying products could make companies change their formulas to use safer ingredients like cornstarch. This would lower the risks of exposure and help rebuild public trust. Retailers may also respond by phasing out talc-based items, speeding a change that is already occurring.