The record
The FDA opened its consideration of asbestos particles in talc in 1971; at an August 1971 symposium it stated it first wanted to establish a laboratory procedure giving meaningful and consistent results before it could determine whether marketed products contained asbestos fibers.
Claim scope
August 1971 as the verified opening date of the federal measurement controversy, with the FDA's own stated sequencing: method first, then product determinations.
What this source does not establish
Not a finding that products were contaminated in 1971.
Limitations
McNeal is the most valuable opinion in this set for timeline purposes because the court sets out the internal documents in an explicitly dated month-by-month chronology (headings 'a. August 1971' through 's. May 1977'). CRITICAL COUNTERWEIGHT: the court REVERSED the punitive damages award, holding the same evidence did not establish malice, oppression or fraud. Any use of McNeal must carry that disposition. The documents are verified as recounted; the culpability inference was rejected by this court. Independently corroborated by PMID 31095409, which dates the FDA symposium to August 3, 1971 and lists attendees including Selikoff, Nicholson and Langer of Mt. Sinai and Lewin of NYU.
Source
Case Citation — McNeal v. Whittaker, Clark & Daniels, No. B313472 (Cal. Ct. App. 2d Dist. Div. 8, July 5, 2022) (published; reporter cite UNVERIFIED)