Johnson & Johnson has announced that it will discontinue talc-based baby powder worldwide after two years of withdrawing sell of talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada. The company will stop selling the product in the global market from 2023.
Talc-based baby powder was launched in 1894 by J&J. A 2018 Reuters investigation found that J&J knew for decades that asbestos, a carcinogen, was present in its talc products. Internal company records, trial testimony and other evidence showed that from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, J&J's raw talc and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos.
In 2020, J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the US and Canada amid the rising lawsuits over the product's safety standards, while the same was available in other global markets. Johson & Johnson faces about 38,000 lawsuits that claim its talc products caused cancer due to contamination with asbestos, Reuters reported.
Before the bankruptcy filing, the company faced costs from 3.5 billion dollar in verdicts and settlements, including one in which 22 women were awarded a judgment of more than 2 billion dollar, according to bankruptcy court records.
"We continuously evaluate and optimize our portfolio to best position the business for long-term growth. This transition will help simplify our product offerings, deliver sustainable innovation, and meet the needs of our consumers, customers and evolving global trends." company said.
Cornstarch-based Baby Powder is already sold in countries around the world.
Further the copmany said, "Our position on the safety of our cosmetic talc remains unchanged. We stand firmly behind the decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirms talc-based JOHNSON’S® Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer."
