Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced this Thursday that in 2023 it will suspend the sale of its baby talcum powder worldwide. This measure has already been implemented in the United States. and Canada after receiving some 38,000 lawsuits linking its long-term use to the development of cancer, though it continued to deny that’s the cause.
In a brief note, the company said it has made a “business decision” to substitute cornstarch for talc.
Does J&J talc have asbestos?
At the end of 2018, information appeared indicating that J&J had known for decades that its talcum powder contained asbestos, a mineral with a composition and characteristics similar to those of asbestos and with harmful effects on health.
Since then, the company has faced thousands of lawsuits accusing the manufacturer of having contributed to the development of ovarian cancer in consumers, an extreme that the company denies and that each year has caused it to spend millions of dollars in litigation.
“Our position on the safety of our cosmetic powder remains unchanged. We strongly support the decades of scientific analysis by medical experts around the world confirming that Johnson’s Baby Talcum Powder is safe, contains no asbestos, and does not cause cancer,” stated the signature.
The company faces other legal problems in the United States and agreed earlier this year to pay millions of dollars to several states, along with other large drug distributors, for their responsibility in the opioid crisis.
With information from EFE
