The proposed rule is required under a law passed by Congress last year, and is intended to ensure the safety of makeup and baby powder.

For decades, women thought they could trust cosmetic products, like baby powder, for feminine hygiene.But many of those products contai

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing that cosmetic products containing talc should be tested using standardized methods to detect asbestos, a potential contaminant, according to documents posted on the federal register on Thursday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule to require standardized testing of talc-containing cosmetics for asbestos, a known carcinogen linked to serious illnesses.

Months after a landmark Johnson & Johnson settlement, the FDA is now proposing that cosmetics makers test talc-based products for asbestos.

Before deciding on the rule, the FDA will invite public comments lasting ninety days. Under the plan, manufacturers must find asbestos via batch testing with polarized light and transmission electron microscopy. Ignoring rules could lead to products being judged tainted.

Cosmetic companies would have to take extra steps to ensure that any products containing talc are free of asbestos under a federal rule proposed Thursday.

The rule follows years of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other companies alleging links between talc-based baby powder and cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed new federal regulations requiring cosmetic companies to verify that talc-containing products are free of asbestos. This move, prompted by a congressional mandate,