Document pBLKp0DvygY7mM5oEzKb2jkna

FILE NAME Talc TALC DATE 1971 Nov DOC TALC111 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Letter to the FDA from Baltimore Health Dept ROBERT E. FARBER M.D. M.P.H. COMMISSIONER JOHN B. DE HOFF M.D. M.P.H. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER LEARN TO DO YOUR PART IN THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 5 November 1971 AMERICAN BUILDING BALTIMORE AND SOUTH STREETS BALTIMORE MARYLAND 21202 TEL AREA CODE 301 752-2000 Food & Drug Administration Department of Health Education & Welfare 600 Fisher's Lane Rockville Maryland 20852 Gentlemen I enclose copies of correspondence relative to an article in SCIENCE magazine for 17 September 1971 by R. R. Merliss M.D. which suggested a possible relationship between talc coated rice sold to Japanese and the incidence of gastric carcinoma in Japanese natives You will note that I suggested that the presence of asbestos fibers in the talc which coated rice may represent a hazard if present in various body powders utilizing talc as a base Dr. Merliss further notes that talc has been used as a filler in some medicinal tablets intended for oral useage May I ask that the Food & Drug Administration investigate the possibility of dangerous levels of asbestos existing in the various formulations of talc used in body powderosr medicinal tablets Sincerely yours ---- --,--,, ---- B. De Hoff M.D. --,--,, JBD mfr Encs