R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY

FDA Talc-Asbestos Testing Rule Withdrawal Exposes Deep Rift Between MAHA Agenda and White House Corporate Interests

- The FDA unexpectedly withdrew a proposed rule requiring asbestos testing for talc-containing cosmetics, blindsiding HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his top deputies. - Johnson & Johnson lawyers used the withdrawal within hours in a California courtroom to discredit a plaintiff's expert witness, and the jury subsequently sided with the company. - The withdrawal was coordinated by White House lawyers and OMB officials following a visit from Johnson & Johnson executives, bypassing normal FDA review procedures. - The incident exemplifies a broader pattern of the MAGA White House undermining MAHA priorities through alliances with tobacco, pesticide, and pharmaceutical companies.