Document RJVBBd94Mrdb7L1Rd020Y5z3n

FILE NAME Talc TALC DATE 1973 Aug 29 DOC TALC453 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Memo - RE Meeting to Address Food Grade Talc Specification to be Proposed by FDA a UM De * UM Manville ot ne Correspondence 5/29 Internal Correspondence Yo P. A. Martinson - 2 West Dato August 29 1973 From Coples See below So BK : Subject OUR MENTING AUGUST 24 AUGUST 20 1973 = F D TO BE PROPOSED BY FDA 1973 - FOOD CHEMICAL NEWS GRADE TALC SPECIFICATIONS Following our meeting of August 24 1973 there were several Informal discussion- concerning M giving up their interest and spinning off the Desert Minerals talc business The battle for tremolitic talc is just too tough It is this writer's opinion that to give up for this reason would be a tragic mistake M must make a firm stand right here and right now . is If this regulation allowetdo pass then later what is to prevent a similar ban on the use of TRANSITE pipe for water transmission Still later glass fiber and virtually every other segment of our business will be subject to similar scru- tiny and irresponsible control You can be sure that these are not - regulatory agencies going to stop with tremolitic talc will move them on with more vigor to other more Any success total business This is not just a M vital parts of our and vital segments of Celite problem It relates to large of the way other M business We must fight them every step and especially when we feel that we are right and are being Bo Sot tt unjustly treated and we believe that the FDA has acted In this particular case - Dick Carter stated arbitrarily capriciously unfairly admitted during the meeting that FDAofficials had apparently let- to him that they had ignored our formal presentation see ter April 20 1973 and attachments Richard Carter to Allan T. Spiher Jr. FDA and in this case were reacting to poli- tical pressures Is FDA intended to be a political orga- nization 7 no The entire question here longer just medical or scienti- fic There is a very fundamental legal question What are our the Federal Government have the constitutional rights Does right to act in this manner ignoring facts and simpltyo act have the right to demand emotionalloyr politically Do we for their that they prove medical or scientificin jtuhsetifpiasctatiwiotnh respect actions They have acteIdn stihmeislearc la yses great harm was done to to DDT and cyclamates The bans - imposed on the the producers of these chemicals to the facts We use of these chemicals were contradictory are now in a similar position _ 000097 ' P. A. Martinson 2 West a | August 29 1973 on In the past M's position has always been base whd at we considered to be the truth and the best possible scientific evidence We do not favor an abandonment of this approach We do believe however that we have been far too timid and too reserved our dealings with these Governmen- . tal officials We must change our ti tics We must on the offense Any of legal action suit injunction etc. that stands any pos- sible chance blocking the FDA should be tried We must make quite clear we do not intend to accept this new - control without a fight The total resources of M must be committed to this battle In the final analysis battle for survival -- not just the talc business it is a The FDA officials have already demonstrated that tically motivated They respond to fear Let's we can to intimidate them to make them fear us they are polido everything has The debilitating effects of this battle and the tactics we have used to date are beyond estimation This has greatly interfered with the orderly conduct of our business The attention of our salesmen been diverted and diluted It has become increasingly difficult to carry on a creative marketing or research program Our defensive position has drained our energies and our resources This must be changed August Recent tests see report 27 1973 V. E. Wolkodoff to R. S. Lamar NB 4393-10 11 have shown that even Reeves not Canadian talc wilml eet this new FDA requirement Not only is our present talc business in jeopardy but now our Canadian talc development is no longer a viable new venture W. L. Derbeek - 2 West J. M. Sharratt - 2 West H. R. Keefe - 2 West L. Pundsack - R Cente- S. Speil - D Center | W. C. Streib - D Center CRMC