Johnson and Johnson will stop selling talc-based baby powder
By Warren Miller. 2nd September 2022
Talcum is made from the mineral talc, which comprises magnesium, silicon and oxygen. In it's natural form, some talc may contain asbestos, which can - over a period of time - cause cancer in the lungs and around the lungs (mesothelioma). The personal goods industry in The States has strict guidelines for beauty products and states in no uncertain terms that they should not contain detectable amounts of asbestos.
Johnson's Baby Powder was first sold in 1894 and is symbolic of the company's family-friendly image. But talcum powder has fallen out of favour with parents who are now choosing products which contain other natural ingredients to use on their babies' skin.
Johnson & Johnson will stop selling its talc-based baby powder worldwide from 2023, in what it called a “commercial decision” aimed at ensuring long-term growth.
The company discontinued sales of such products in the United States and Canada just over two years ago. At that time, the firm said it would continue to sell its talc-based baby powder in the UK and the rest of the world.
History of Johnson & Johnson baby powder issues
Johnson & Johnson had previously complained of “misinformation” over the talc-based powder’s safety and a “barrage of litigation advertising.” Even now, they continue to defend their position that decades of independent research shows the products are safe to use and asbestos-free. Stating: "Our position on the safety of our cosmetic talc remains unchanged."
From 2014, Johnson & Johnson has faced lawsuits in the United States from consumers who alleged they contracted cancer after using the company’s talc-based products for prolonged periods. The suits accused the company of hiding and downplaying cancer risks and many demanded compensation.
The company has had some success in disputing the claims - reducing jury awards that ordered it to pay out billions of dollars, but it still faces large penalties. In Los Angeles in 2017, a jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $417 million to a claimant, who said her terminal ovarian cancer was linked to her use of the baby powder.
In 2020, Johnson & Johnson said that demand for its baby powder is higher outside the United States and Canada. Some 75 percent of its U.S. baby powder customers buy the corn starch version, while only 25 percent purchase talcum powder, according to Bloomberg News. Those percentages are reversed outside the United States.
Also in 2020, the highest court in Missouri upheld a previous court decision and ordered the company to pay $2.1 billion to women who claimed they contracted ovarian cancer after using its talc products. That amount was a reduction from the original $4.7 billion that a jury had awarded. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a Johnson & Johnson appeal.
Now, the company faces about nearly 40,000 in lawsuits America from people claiming the talc products caused cancer, including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer due to asbestos contamination. They have already lost court cases involving claims that its talc-based powders caused ovarian cancer.
The company will now transition to selling only corn starch based baby powder. "As part of a worldwide portfolio assessment, we have made the commercial decision to transition to an all corn starch-based baby powder portfolio," it said, adding that corn starch-based baby powder is already sold in countries around the world.
If you have been recently diagnosed with a disease as a result of previous asbestos exposure and would like some advice, please call Kathy or Warren on the number below.
Author
Warren Miller MSc. BSc
Claims manager and website author
Warren has been assisting victims of Mesothelioma and asbestos cancer for more than 18 years. He is also the senior technical author of this website, responsible for sourcing legal and medical material beneficial to those who may been recently diagnosed with an asbestos disease.. Read more >
