The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is being criticized for taking too long to ban formaldehyde, a chemical known to cause cancer, from hair-straightening products mostly used by Black women. Even though a federal agency said formaldehyde was a human carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) over ten years ago, the FDA is only now thinking about banning it. They plan to propose the ban in April.
Linda Birnbaum, who used to be in charge of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, was shocked by how slow the FDA has been to act. She said, “I don’t know what we’re waiting for.” The FDA’s chief scientist, Namandjé Bumpus, said the delay was because the science has been changing and the FDA doesn’t have a lot of power when it comes to cosmetics and personal-care products.
Critics say the FDA’s slow response shows that they aren’t doing enough to protect public health, especially for Black women who use these products the most. David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, which asked the FDA to ban formaldehyde in hair straighteners back in 2011, said, “The public is still waiting for this response.”
This issue shows the health inequalities faced by Black women and the need for stricter rules to keep them safe. As the FDA moves forward with its planned ban, people who support the cause and scientists stress how important it is to address the long-standing worries about the use of dangerous chemicals in hair care products marketed to this underrepresented group.
See: “FDA’s Plan to Ban Hair Relaxer Chemical Called Too Little, Too Late” by Ronnie Cohen on the KFF Health News website (February 8, 2024)
