'Forever Chemicals' and Cosmetics Oversight in 2026 – FDA Watch
Wayne chats with Rend Al-Mondhiry, Co-Chair of the Regulatory Practice Group at Amin Wasserman Gurnani, and Will Woodlee, Managing Partner at Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker. You’ll hear their thoughts on FDA’s recent “Report on the Use of PFAS in Cosmetic Products and Associated Risks”; how FDA and Congress might work toward addressing PFAS and other “forever chemicals” moving forward; challenges associated with state versus federal oversight on cosmetic ingredients; how the implementation of MoCRA could be changing the regulatory landscape for cosmetic companies; and much more.
Headlines
Pharma: FDA launches PreCheck Pilot Program
Devices: Two digital health and device leaders leave agency
Food: FDA finalizes policy limiting “no artificial colors” claims
Cosmetics: Virginia lawmakers introduce Humane and Toxin-Free Cosmetics Act
Resource Links
Pharma: FDA’s Rare Disease Innovation Hub 2026 Strategic Agenda
Devices: From Reuters, rising number of malfunctions linked to AI in operating room medical devices
Food: FDA recalls over 6,000 M&M’s lacking required allergen warnings
Cosmetics: From Consumer Reports, beauty and personal care products contain chemicals linked to health concerns
About Our Guests
Rend Al-Mondhiry
Rend Al-Mondhiry is Co-Chair of the firm’s Regulatory Practice Group and advises the dietary supplement, food, cosmetic, and over-the-counter medicine industries on a broad range of regulatory and compliance matters. Rend is committed to helping companies responsibly develop and market products, drawing on her years of experience advising the nation’s leading dietary supplement and food companies on complex ingredient and labeling issues. She is also a frequent speaker and author on emerging legal and regulatory issues in the industry and is regularly quoted in the trade press.
Rend’s practice focuses on reviewing product labeling, ingredients, and advertising to determine compliance with federal and state regulations, and assisting companies in matters before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and National Advertising Division (NAD). She also advises clients on compliance with California’s Proposition 65, U.S. Customs issues, class action defense strategies, and FDA matters, including Warning Letters, recalls, detentions, seizures, and import alerts.
Rend brings a unique perspective to these issues, having served as Associate General Counsel at the Council for Responsible Nutrition, one of the leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement and functional food industry. She has advocated on the industry’s behalf numerous times before FDA, FTC, Congress, and state attorneys general, and has substantial experience initiating and defending challenges before the NAD. In addition, she has over ten years of experience analyzing and responding to legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels, working closely with scientific experts to ensure policy positions are not only legally sound but grounded in science. She has also assisted trade associations with non-profit compliance, strategic planning, and corporate governance matters.
When she’s not spending time with her husband and two very active boys, Rend enjoys running, practicing yoga, and reading historical fiction.
Will Woodlee
James William (Will) Woodlee is a partner who joined the firm in 2010. His practice focuses primarily on counseling and advocating on behalf of food, dietary supplement, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, medical device, tobacco, cannabis/hemp, and consumer product companies on regulatory and advertising law matters.
Will provides practical, creative, and strategic advice to help clients achieve their business goals in compliance with laws implemented and enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Drug Enforcement Administration, and related federal, state, and local agencies.
FDA Watch Podcast 