The agency plans to respond by March 30 to the Environmental Working Group’s 2011 citizen petition requesting regulatory action on hair-straightening products that contain or release formaldehyde. In doing so, it could win dismissal of a related suit filed by the NGO and put marketers on notice about regulatory measures that either are, or are not, coming their way.

The Environmental Working Group seeks decisive FDA action on formaldehyde in heated hair-smoothing products, as requested in its 2011 citizen petition, with a complaint filed in District of Columbia District Court. The suit doubles as a reminder to Congress and consumers that cosmetics regulations are overdue for an update, the NGO says.

Brazilian Blowout parent company GIB LLC has settled a class action suit in California that directs the firm to pay more than $4 million to class members and properly label products with all ingredients and warnings about potential health risks.

The number of adverse events associated with cosmetics reported to FDA rose by nearly 100 between fiscal 2011 and 2012. The rise follows a push by the agency to increase awareness of the reporting program, but FDA cautions that may not solely be responsible for the higher numbers.