Document ZnKnj6zj4aKE15o6bGJv5edwV

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 Johns-Manville ternaJJ3ifitfesporidence P. a . Martinson - 2 West T (V - omo: August 29, 1973 horn; r . s'; Lamar - RSD Center Copies', See below OUR MEETING AUGUST 24, 1973 - FOOD CHEMICAL NEWS, Sub|st: AUGUST 20, 1973 - F* D GRADE TALC SPECIFICATIONS TO BE PROPOSED BY FDA Following our meeting of August 24, 1973, there were several uiformal9diseussioh~ concerning J-M giving up their ^ e r e s t and spinning o f f the Desert Minerals alc business. The battle for tremolitic taj.c is just too tough . It is tnis S l i t ' ! opinion that to give op and a tragic mistake. J~M must make a firm stand right her. a right now*. . If this regulation is allowed to pass, then later w h a t is to o r i e n t a similar ban on the use of TRANSITS pipe for water transmission? 'still later glass fiber and virtually every _ other segment of our business wili be subject to similar scru tiny and irresponsible control. You can be sure that these regulatory agencies are not going to stop with tremolitic rale. Any success will move them on with more vigor to other mo.e vital Darts of our total J-M business. This is not ;just a relite problem. It relates to large and vital segments of other J-M business. We must fight them every step of the way and especially when we feel that we are right and are unjustly treated; i i ; f being fn this particular case, we believe that the FDA has acted arbitrarily, capriciously, and unfairly. Dick Carter stated during theciieeting that FD A officials nad apparently to him that they had ignored our to Allah tpr Anril 20, 1973, and attachments Richard Carter to Allan t s S i h d r / j L , FDA) and in this cash were reacting,to poll- tical pressures. Is the*FDA intended to be a political orga nization? ' The entire question here-is no longer just medical e m o i L S l l ? d r npiliUcaily?' Do we u^ | f icf t L f f o r S S e i r that they prove medical or f ^ e n t i f in^the past with -respect tH - ions? Thov have acted; exnulariy in tno p - , to oSS arid c % l o m a t e S . 1 the,. ***** groat harm Vjs d o n ^ t o the producers of these chemicals. The bans imposed n ^ use of these chemicals were,contradictory to the facts. We are now in a similar position. O R lu r.B T pi A. Martinson - 2 West August 29, 1973 In the p a s t , ,JrM's position has always boon based on what we considered to be the tfuth and the best possible scien tific evidence. We donot favor an abandonment of this approach. We do believe, however, that we have been far too timid and too reserved i n 'our dealings with these Governmen tal officials, ' We must change our ti .tics. We must go on the offense. Any. legal action, suit, injunction, etc., that stands any pos sible chance of blocking the FDA should be tried. We must make -it quite clear -that we do not intend to accept this new control without a fight. The total resources of J-M must, be committed to this battle. In the final analysis, it is a battle for survival -- not just the talc business. The FDA officials have' already demonstrated that they are po.>.i* tically motivated,. They respond to fear. L e t 's do everything we can to intimidate them, to make them fear us. 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 has been diverted and diluted, it has become increasingly difficult to carry on a creative mar keting o r .research program. Our defensive position has drained our energies and our resources. This must be changed. Recent tests (see report August.27, 1973, V. E. Wolkodoff to R. S. Lamar, NB 4393-10, 11) have shown that even Reeves Canadian talc will not meet 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. R. S. LAMAR RSL/rs cc W, L. VanDerbeek 2 West j. M. Sharratt - 2 West H. R. Keefe - 2 West F. L, Pundsack - R&D Center S. Spell - R&D Center W. C. Strait - R&D Center CRMC-HT-TALC-000098