Talcum Powder Asbestos Findings Are Spreading Throughout The Cosmetics Industry
There need to be sweeping changes to the FDA's testing methods for asbestos talc used in cosmetics
Monday, July 1, 2019 - The Johnson and Johnson talcum powder cancer lawsuits are expanding to include other major cosmetics companies that sold products containing talc laced with asbestos. Beverly Alleyne has filed a lawsuit alleging that Revlon's "Charlie" talc-based powder contains asbestos that caused her cancer. The case, originally slated for May, has been delayed until October in order to allow Revlon to conduct asbestos tests on the product. These tests come in response to the plaintiff's expert Dr. William Longo, a Georgia based microscope researcher, that claims to have found particles of asbestos in samples of the Revlon cosmetic taken recently. The delay also allows the defense to depose the witness. A pre-trial deposition is useful to get a witnesses testimony on record so that the defense can compare them with answers given under oath with an aim toward finding discrepancies.
In another recently concluded case, A California jury awarded $12 Million to a Patricia Schmitz, a 61-year-old California schoolteacher with cancer who claimed that Colgate Palmolive and Avon Products caused her cancer. Ms. Schmitz has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos.
The underlying issue is the Food and Drug Administration's unwillingness to apply tougher standards in requiring the cosmetics industry to test for the presence of asbestos in talc. Talc is used throughout the cosmetics industry, not only in Johnson's Baby Powder. According to Asbestos.com, "Asbestos ends up in makeup because of poor regulations involving cosmetic-grade talc, which is also known as talcum powder. ... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is important to select talc mining sites carefully and take steps to purify talc to prevent asbestos contamination in cosmetic products." Thankfully, the FDA seems to have awoken to the problem of asbestos contamination in talc and to the fact that the organization has a responsibility to be more diligent. In 2017, findings of asbestos in cosmetics were reported to the agency prompting them to conduct their own cosmetics-asbestos test. As a result, the agency concluded that "Asbestos was found in several children's makeup products sold by retailers Claire's and Justice. The products were recalled, but parents and consumers remain concerned because this isn't the first time asbestos has been found in everyday products."
Talc is the smoothest substance on earth and has the properties of being color-fast and holding fragrance. This makes the raw material ideal for makeups, eyeliner, lipstick and as a filler in virtually all women's beauty products. Although many talc products are certified as asbestos-free, the testing methods used to detect asbestos are now insufficient. Johnson & Johnson has set the standard of testing at 1 part in 100 when the FDA and independent experts have said that the liquid separation method of testing can reveal particles of 1 in 1000, ten times more sensitive and sufficient to trigger cancer or mesothelioma.
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