The government of Canada is
considering prohibiting or restricting the use of talc in some products. The government
"proposes that inhaling loose talc powders and using certain products
containing talc in the female genital area may be harmful to human
health." The announcement was made Wednesday on the Health
Canada website.
The draft screening assessment
will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, and will be open for
public comment for 60 days, until February 6, 2019. The Risk Management
Scope, which outlines the possible measures to manage the risks identified in
the draft screening assessment, will also be open for public comment for the
same 60-day period.
No action, such as warning
labels or a ban, will be taken until this final assessment is published,
according to news reports.
Draft assessment did not
identify human health risks of concern from oral exposures, including talc in
food and drugs; dermal exposures such as the application of talc-containing
products to skin; or inhalational exposures from dry hair shampoo or pressed
powder products, such as cosmetics like eye shadow and blush.
However, the assessment did
identify two exposure scenarios of potential concern to human health.
One was inhalation of fine
particles of talc during the use of loose powder, self-care products (eg, body
powder, baby powder, face powder, foot powder), potentially resulting in damage
to the lungs.
The other scenario of concern
was exposure of the female perineal area, which includes the genitals, to
self-care products containing talc (e.g., body powder, baby powder, diaper and
rash creams, genital antiperspirants and deodorants, body wipes, bath bombs),
as this type of exposure has been associated with ovarian cancer in
studies of the human population.
The controversy is over
whether talc itself is a carcinogen, and the issue is complicated because talc
is sometimes contaminated with asbestos (the two sometimes occur
naturally together).
The scientific community has
not reached a consensus yet.
A recent review published in
the European Journal of Cancer Prevention (Eur J Cancer Prev. 2008;17:139-146)
concluded that “data collectively do not indicate that cosmetic talc causes
ovarian cancer.”
Comments: For some, the
controversy is on. The DCGI must come out with clear cut direction in this
issue. But, in the meantime public should take their GP into confidence when
using these products.
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma
Shri Awardee
President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and
Oceania (CMAAO)
Group
Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President
Heart Care Foundation of India
Immediate Past National President IMA
