FDA Finds Insufficient Data to Determine Safety of PFAS in Cosmetic Products - Food & Drug Administration
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today released a congressionally mandated report under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA) evaluating the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetic products. While the report reviews available scientific evidence on potential safety concerns, the FDA’s evaluation did not reach definitive safety determinations and underscores significant uncertainty due to gaps in existing data on PFAS exposure through cosmetics.
“In accordance with our congressional mandate, the FDA today released its assessment of PFAS in cosmetic products,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Our scientists found that toxicological data for most PFAS are incomplete or unavailable, leaving significant uncertainty about consumer safety. This lack of reliable data demands further research. Consistent with the MAHA Strategy Report, the FDA will continue working with the CDC and EPA to update and strengthen recommendations on PFAS across the retail and food supply chain.”
Based on mandatory cosmetic product listing data submitted to the FDA, 51 PFAS are used in 1,744 cosmetic formulations. To assess safety, the FDA evaluated the 25 most frequently used PFAS, which represent approximately 96% of PFAS intentionally added to cosmetic products. The agency found that “toxicological data for a majority of these PFAS are incomplete or unavailable,” limiting its ability to fully assess risk. The FDA’s ability to effectively collect toxicology data was limited by the fact that most of the data is not publicly available. While five PFAS appeared to present low safety concerns under their intended conditions of use, the safety of most PFAS could not be definitively established, and one PFAS was identified as having a potential safety concern with significant remaining uncertainty.
The report focuses on PFAS intentionally added to cosmetic products as ingredients, rather than PFAS that may be present as contaminants. PFAS are synthetic chemicals used for properties such as water resistance, durability, and texture modification, but their persistence and potential toxicity have raised health and environmental concerns and prompted increasing regulatory scrutiny at the state, federal, and global levels.
There are currently no federal regulations that specifically prohibit PFAS intentionally added to cosmetic products. However, consistent with FDA enforcement policies, the agency will take appropriate action if safety concerns emerge related to such cosmetic products.
The FDA will continue to monitor emerging scientific data and devote additional resources to address data gaps, supporting the Department of Health and Human Services’ Make America Healthy Again efforts to reduce PFAS across the food and consumer product supply chain through expanded testing, monitoring, and surveillance.
For more information on PFAS in cosmetic products, visit the FDA’s website: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas-cosmetics.
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Federal Register Notices:
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Hard Empty Capsules From Brazil: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With the Final Determination in Covered Merchandise Inquiry; and Notice of Amended Final Covered Merchandise Inquiry Determination
• Thermal Paper From Germany: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With the Final Determination of Antidumping Investigation; Notice of Amended Final Determination; Notice of Amended Order, In Part
• Hard Empty Capsules From India: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Hard Empty Capsules From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Hard Empty Capsules From the People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Paper File Folders From the Kingdom of Cambodia: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
• Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Determinations, Investigations, etc.: Hard Empty Capsules From Brazil: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value
• Paper File Folders From Cambodia: Final Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value
• Hard Empty Capsules From India: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value
• Hard Empty Capsules From the People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value
• Hard Empty Capsules From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod From China; Determinations
• Certain Welded Large Diameter Line Pipe from Japan
• Certain Clear Aligners and Components Thereof; Institution of Investigation
• Ferrovanadium From China and South Africa; Scheduling of Expedited Five-Year Reviews
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Carbon and Certain Alloy Steel Wire Rod From Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, and Trinidad and Tobago; Scheduling of Expedited Five-Year Reviews
• Certain Tow-Behind Lawn Groomers and Parts Thereof From China; Scheduling of an Expedited Five-Year Review
• Certain Composite Intermediate Bulk Containers; Notice of Commission Determination Not To Review Three Initial Determinations Terminating the Investigation With Respect to the Remaining Respondents Based on Consent Orders; Request for Written Submissions on Remedy, the Public Interest, and Bonding
• Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From Algeria, Bulgaria, Egypt, and Vietnam; Scheduling of the Final Phase of Countervailing Duty and Antidumping Duty Investigations
• Chromium Trioxide From India and Turkey; Revised Schedule for the Subject Proceeding
• Hexamine (Hexamethylenetetramine) From Germany, India, and Saudi Arabia; Determinations
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Overhead Door Counterbalance Torsion Springs From India: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination and Final Affirmative Critical Circumstances Determination
• Carbazole Violet Pigment-23 From India: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2022
• Mobile Access Equipment From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony With the Final Determination of Antidumping Investigation; Notice of Amended Final Determination
• Covered Merchandise Referral and Initiation of Covered Merchandise Inquiry: Oil Country Tubular Goods From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Covered Merchandise Referral and Initiation of Covered Merchandise Inquiry
• Sales at Less Than Fair Value; Determinations, Investigations, etc.: Overhead Door Counterbalance Torsion Springs From India: Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Final Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances
• L-Lysine From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation
• Polypropylene Corrugated Boxes From the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances, In Part, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Van-Type Trailers and Subassemblies From Canada, China, and Mexico; Revised Schedule for the Subject Proceeding
• Nonfat Milk Solids: Competitive Conditions for the United States and Major Foreign Suppliers
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Advance Notification of Sunset Review
• Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Opportunity To Request Administrative Review and Join Annual Inquiry Service List
• Certain Steel Nails From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results, Preliminary Intent To Rescind, in Part, and Partial Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2023-2024
• Welded Line Pipe From the Republic of Korea: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2022-2023
• Investigations; Determinations, Modifications, and Rulings, etc.: Wood Mouldings and Millwork Products From China; Institution of Five-Year Reviews
• Silicon Metal From Russia; Determination
• Certain Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) Devices, Products Containing the Same, and Components Thereof; Notice of Institution of Investigation
• Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire Strand From Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Arab Emirates; Institution of Five-Year Reviews
• Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires From China; Institution of a Five-Year Reviews
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Customs Bulletin Weekly, Vol. 59, December 24, 2025, No. 48
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USITC Makes Determinations in Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews Concerning Lightweight Thermal Paper from China - U.S. International Trade Commission
USITC Makes Determinations in Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews Concerning Lightweight Thermal Paper from China
The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission or USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on lightweight thermal paper from China would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.
As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determinations, the existing orders on imports of this product from China will remain in place.
Chair Amy A. Karpel and Commissioners David S. Johanson and Jason E. Kearns voted in the affirmative.
Today’s action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on these five-year (sunset) reviews.
The Commission’s public report, Lightweight Thermal Paper from China (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-451 and 731-TA-1126 (Third Review), USITC Publication 5967, January 2026), will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.
The report will be available by January 28,2026; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website.
BACKGROUND
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (USITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.
The Commission’s institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally, within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the USITC’s notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.
The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission’s prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the reviews, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.
The five-year (sunset) reviews concerning lightweight thermal paper from China were instituted on June 2, 2025.
On September 5, 2025, the Commission determined to conduct expedited five-year reviews. Chair Amy A. Karpel and Commissioners David S. Johanson and Jason E. Kearns concluded that the domestic interested party group response was adequate and the respondent interested party group response was inadequate, and voted for expedited reviews.
A record of the Commission’s vote to conduct expedited reviews is available on the investigations page for Lightweight Thermal Paper from China; Inv. No. 701-TA-451 and 731-TA-1126 (Third Review).
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FTC Warns 10 Companies About Possible Violations of the Agency’s New Consumer Review Rule - Federal Trade Commission
The Rule prohibits fake reviews and allows the Commission to seek civil penalties for violations
Federal Trade Commission staff sent letters to 10 companies, warning them of potential violations of the agency’s Consumer Review Rule, which prohibits certain deceptive or unfair conduct related to the use of product reviews in advertising and marketing.
“Fake or false consumer reviews are detrimental to consumers’ ability to make accurate and informed choices about the products they are buying – something of particular importance during the holiday season,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “As consumers increasingly depend on online reviews, the FTC is committed to ensuring companies comply with this Rule.”
The Rule prohibits reviews and testimonials that misrepresent whether a reviewer’s experience was positive or negative, or whether the reviewer used the product or service at all. It also prohibits businesses from conditioning compensation or other incentives on reviewers expressing a particular sentiment, either positive or negative, or from failing to disclose when reviews are written by company insiders or their immediate relatives. The Rule contains additional provisions relating to company-controlled review websites, suppressing certain reviews, and misusing indicators of social media influence like the number of followers or views.
The letters, which were based on consumer complaints and information provided by the companies, are not formal determinations that the recipients have violated the Consumer Review Rule. The letters, however, remind the recipients of their obligations under the Rule, and warn them that Rule violations can result in the filing of a federal lawsuit or other legal action, and civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.
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Two Americans Plead Guilty to Targeting Multiple U.S. Victims Using ALPHV BlackCat Ransomware - Department of Justice
Yesterday (/12/29/25) a federal district court in the Southern District of Florida accepted the guilty pleas of two men to conspiring to obstruct, delay or affect commerce through extortion in connection with ransomware attacks occurring in 2023.
“These defendants used their sophisticated cybersecurity training and experience to commit ransomware attacks — the very type of crime that they should have been working to stop,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Extortion via the internet victimizes innocent citizens every bit as much as taking money directly out of their pockets. The Department of Justice is committed to using all tools available to identify and arrest perpetrators of ransomware attacks wherever we have jurisdiction.”
“Ransomware is not just a foreign threat — it can come from inside our own borders,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Goldberg and Martin used trusted access and technical skill to extort American victims and profit from digital coercion. Their guilty pleas make clear that cybercriminals operating from within the United States will be found, prosecuted, and held to account.”
“Malware like ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware is used by bad actors to steal, extort, and launder proceeds from victim businesses and organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to working alongside its law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises involved in ransomware attacks and to hold accountable not only the perpetrators but also anyone who knowingly enables or profits from them. We will continue to leverage our intelligence, law enforcement tools, global presence, and partnerships to counter cybercriminals who seek to harm the American public through these insidious attacks. We strongly encourage businesses to exercise due diligence when engaging third parties for ransomware incident response, report suspicious or unethical behavior, and to expeditiously report any ransomware attack to the FBI and our law enforcement partners to safeguard their security and privacy.”
According to court documents, Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, and another co-conspirator successfully deployed the ransomware known as ALPHV BlackCat between April 2023 and December 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the United States. The three men agreed to pay the ALPHV BlackCat administrators a 20% share of any ransoms received in exchange for access to the ransomware and ALPHV BlackCat’s extortion platform. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry — meaning that they had special skills and experience in securing computer systems against harm, including the type of harm they themselves were committing against the victims in this case. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their 80% share of this ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.
According to court documents, ALPHV BlackCat targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims around the world. The group used a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers were responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates were responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim paid, developers and affiliates shared the ransom.
Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt ALPHV BlackCat ransomware, in which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by ALPHV BlackCat.
Goldberg and Martin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2026, and face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris for the Eastern District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W.A. Peach for the Middle District of Georgia. Additional assistance was provided by the Policía de Investigación of the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México.
Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.
If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov.