Two U.S. House members who first pushed the Food and Drug Administration in 2023 to investigate the health risks of hair straighteners used primarily by Black women are now asking the agency why it has twice delayed its target date to propose a ban on products containing formaldehyde, which studies link to increased rates of cancer.
Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Shontel Brown of Ohio pressed the FDA in a letter to finalize the proposed rule for banning certain salon-grade and at-home hair straighteners. Rep. Nydia Velazquez of New York joined Pressley and Brown in spearheading the letter, which was dated Tuesday.
The FDA gave notice of a possible rule in 2023 with an initial target date to release the proposal in April. That was then moved to July before jumping to September.
The letter from Pressley, Brown and Velazquez — all of whom are up for re-election this year — asks FDA Commissioner Robert Califf to provide specific reasons for the delay.
Pressley told The Associated Press that Black women look to straightening treatments in part because of hair discrimination.
“If you do a Google search right now of unprofessional work hairstyles, you'll be besieged by images of Black women,” said Pressley, who also believes another delay could cause more health issues for communities of color. “Everything from protective styles, Senegalese twists or braids like I wore for many years, or afros or locs ... I just want everyone to be able to show up fully, authentically and unapologetically, without fear and without discrimination."
It isn't uncommon for the FDA to have items on the regulatory agenda for years. For example, the draft of a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes came out in 2022, but the target date on finalizing the rule was pushed back twice before it was indefinitely delayed in April.
When asked about the letter, an FDA spokesperson told the AP that agency officials would respond directly to lawmakers. Last month, the agency said the proposed ban was still among its top priorities and in the rulemaking process, but couldn't comment to the AP on the timing or content of the proposal.
Black women and women of other ethnicities have used chemical hair-straightening treatments for decades, and many of the relaxers, creams and keratin treatments contain formaldehyde — a chemical used in pesticides and to preserve dead bodies.
A 2022 study from the National Institutes of Health found people who used hair straighteners had an increased risk of developing uterine cancer. A 2023 study from Boston University found that postmenopausal women who used relaxers most often had a greater than 50% increased risk of uterine cancer compared to those who seldom used them.
Thousands of lawsuits allege that beauty companies that make some of the hair straighteners misrepresented “health impacts” of the products, and exposed plaintiffs to chemicals that increased the risk of uterine and ovarian cancers. Some also claim they experienced infertility after using the products.
In a social media video from October, the FDA reminded people that no ban was in place yet, and that the agency planned to work with and encourage the cosmetics industry to develop alternative straightening products.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FILE - Kayleigh Butler, a hair stylist, stands for a portrait at her studio in Atlanta on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (AP Photo/Kenya Hunter, File)
This combination of 2021-2023 photos shows U.S. Reps. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, left; Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., and Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Charles Krupa, Susan Walsh)
MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — England is aiming to challenge struggling Pakistan with a new-look pace attack in the opening test of a three-match series, starting in the searing heat of Multan on Monday.
Fast bowler Brydon Carse will make his test debut with Gus Atkinson set to play his first overseas test after his impressive home season against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
All-rounder Chris Woakes was penciled in to the starting XI after Ben Stokes was ruled out for the fourth successive test match due to ongoing rehabilitation on his injured hamstring. Woakes will be playing his first match in two-and-a-half years and it will be his first test in Asia since 2016.
Carse’s pace gave him the edge over Olly Stone and Matthew Potts for the tour of Pakistan and England hopes the Durham pace bowler will challenge the batters by regularly clocking over 90mph.
England will be led by Ollie Pope, who guided the team to a 2-1 home series against Sri Lanka in the absence of the injured Stokes. The England captain sustained his hamstring injury during the Hundred and might return to lead the side in the second test, also in Multan.
“I was kind of just learning on the job,” Pope said. “Obviously my first time captain abroad. Ben’s going to be around as well… so I can listen to the voices around me but still keep doing things in my way.”
England flattened Pakistan 3-0 through its high-risk, high-reward “Bazball” approach during the 2022 tour when it played at Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi.
They were scheduled to play at the same venues this time around, but renovation work at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi for next year’s Champions Trophy forced the Pakistan Cricket Board to organize back-to-back tests at Multan with Rawalpindi set to host the third test from Oct. 24.
England also named spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir in the playing XI in anticipation of the pitch flattening out in temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius that are expected over the next week in Multan. Leach was the second highest wicket-taker in the last series in Pakistan with 15 wickets.
“Everyone’s so happy to have Leach in and around the squad for this series,” Pope said. “We obviously saw how well he bowled last time here on pitches that (are) always offering a great deal ... and he’s worked closely with Shoaib Bashir throughout his Somerset career and those guys go really well.”
Pakistan has strengthened its batting line-up by including all-rounder Aamer Jamal for the first test after being routed 2-0 by Bangladesh at home in the last series. Shan Masood has lost all five test matches since he was elevated to red-ball captain.
Masood lost 3-0 to Australia in his debut series as test skipper when Jamal took 18 wickets and came in handy as a batter down the order. Jamal missed the series against Bangladesh because he was undergoing rehabilitation on a back injury.
“We have got an edge with the return of Aamer Jamal,” Masood said. “He also bats down the order and picked up 18 wickets. We have (leg-spinner) Abrar and (off-spinner) Salman to give us spin options.”
Pakistan has a woeful record in home test matches and hasn’t won at home since beating South Africa 2-0 in early 2021, while losing to England, Australia and Bangladesh. New Zealand also came close, but Pakistan managed to draw the series 0-0.
Pakistan had its moments to beat England when both teams last met at Multan two years ago. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed made an impressive debut by grabbing 11 wickets before Pakistan narrowly lost by 26 runs when Mark Wood, missing in this series due to injury, claimed the key wicket of Saud Shakeel.
“It was my dream debut and last time we lost quite close,” Abrar said on the eve of the first test. “I hope to give a match-winning performance this time around and bring some happy moments.”
Pakistan's top-order batters have long been struggling and premier batter Babar Azam hasn’t scored a half-century in his last 16 test innings. Opener Abdullah Shafique also struggled against Bangladesh while Masood couldn’t convert starts into big scores with only one half-century in four innings.
But Masood insisted Pakistan needed to give its struggling batters a longer run as he searched to win key moments and find momentum in the series against aggressive England.
“We came close to winning last time, but we let the matches slip away,” Masood said. “We know how they play, but at the end of the day we have to see how to tackle it. We are clear in our mind and that’s why we have named the XI.”
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Pakistan's test team's head coach Jason Gillespie, center right, examines the pitch preparing for 1st test cricket match between England and Pakistan, as England's coach Brendon McCullum, right, watch, before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood, left, and his England's counterpart Ollie Pope pose arrive for a photo shoot with test series trophy, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's skipper Ollie Pope speaks during a press conference regarding 1st test cricket match against Pakistan, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood speaks during a press conference regarding 1st test cricket match against Pakistan, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood, right, and his England's counterpart Ollie Pope pose for photograph with test series trophy, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England team's Brendon McCullum, center, in glasses, briefs in a team meeting prior to practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Olly Stone, left, briefs a bowling technique to Brydon Carse during a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's test team skipper Shah Masood, left, chats with test team's head coach Jason Gillespie during a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's test team's head coach Jason Gillespie, left, chats with England's coach Brendon McCullum, second right before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Sarfaraz Ahmed, second right, chats with teammates as they examine the pitch preparing for 1st test cricket match between England and Pakistan, before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's coach Brendon McCullum, second right, examines the pitch preparing for 1st test cricket match between England and Pakistan, before a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
