2 days ago
Scientists sound alarm over troubling health risk lurking in children's candy: 'We never stop to think'
Experts studying the health risks of talc have prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reevaluate its presence in candy, other foods, and medications.
There is a prevalence of talc in our food and prescriptions in America despite its potential to cause cancer.
As Chemical & Engineering News reported, the FDA convened a nonpartisan panel to discuss the cancer and other health risks of talc.
Manufacturers use talc to prevent moisture absorption and caking on products. Since it's been linked to ovarian cancer, talc has been removed from most cosmetics and body powders.
However, it still remains in chewing gum — that white powder keeping stick gum from sticking to the wrapper — and many commonly prescribed medications like Lipitor and Nexium. During the panel, the doctors and scientists discussed how it's unclear whether some rice and flour makers might be including talc since they would not need to disclose it under current laws, citing how it has been used in these products in other countries.
"Talc is in candy that children eat," said FDA commissioner Marty Makary, a surgeon and professor who generally had bipartisan support in his appointment to the post. "It's in food."
In addition to cancer risks, scientists on the panel also warned of talc's connection to chronic inflammation and expressed concern about talc's often being used as a food processing aid. Foodmakers aren't required to disclose the ingredients in their processing aids, so it's unclear which foods actually contain talc.
Talc has been a known carcinogen for over 40 years. "Yet," Makary said, "we're feeding it to our nation's children. I'm amazed that we scratch our heads asking, why are we seeing GI cancers go up in young people, and we never stop to think about the existing body of scientific evidence that has been there."
Although the U.S. has largely eliminated talc from body products, it still remains a significant issue in what Americans routinely consume.
The FDA found that talc in Johnson & Johnson baby powder was contaminated with asbestos, which led to an $8.9 billion settlement. Talc mining poses a risk for asbestos contamination, according to the FDA, because "both talc and asbestos are naturally occurring minerals that may be found in close proximity in the earth."
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In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, the editorial board criticized Makary for fueling plaintiff attorneys' lawsuits on food and drug manufacturers with alleged talc claims.
However, the science behind talc's health risks is undeniable. And just as the FDA banned Red 3 food dye while encouraging brands to stop using all other synthetic dyes, the common thread is that there are risks with no nutritional benefits.
Similar to PFAS, or forever chemicals — used in things like packaging and nonstick cookware — talc may make some things "easier" or more convenient in the short term, but if the tradeoff is increased cancer risks, the government needs to play a role in banning or at least regulating safe exposures with penalties to deter violations.
With cases like these, it often takes many scientists' testimonies and organizations to petition before widespread bans are finally approved to make products safer and our environment cleaner.
Panel members urged the FDA to further investigate talc in the American food and drug supply and share findings with the general public. Clinical trials to study the impacts of talc on the human body have been discussed.
The burden is now on the FDA to work with regulators to reconsider talc's widespread use. Fortunately, safer alternatives to talc exist, and there is international momentum also to ban talc in other countries for public health reasons. On that note, one of the panelists was Malcolm Sim, emeritus professor of planetary health at Monash University in Australia, who said he intended to help with uniting the countries' efforts to address talc.
As an individual, you can keep harmful substances out of your body by supporting eco-friendly brands and companies that sell products with plastic-free packaging.
If you are concerned about talc exposure, look for mentions of talc or magnesium silicate on product labels, and choose products that explicitly state they are talc-free when possible. You can also research manufacturers who make products you regularly buy to assess if they have conducted asbestos testing.
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