For many parents, whether in Malaysia or abroad, the name Johnson & Johnson is often a familiar one that conjures up notions of infant care. And that comes as no surprise, given the range of tried-and-tested legacy products that the company has released for this exact purpose, from the Johnson’s Baby Shampoo with its No More Tears formulation developed to avoid causing eye-irritation for babies, to the lightly-floral scent of their baby powder that is frequently found on many diaper changing stations.
Johnson & Johnson to discontinue talc-based baby powder globally by 2023
However where the latter is concerned, the company has announced that it will be discontinuing its line of talcum-based baby powder starting from 2023 onwards over health concerns and multiple cancer lawsuits. As reported by The New York Times, the product’s formulation will replace the use of talcum with cornstarch globally, after North American iterations of Johnson’s Baby Powder had made the switch in 2020 following a recall in the region during 2019.
This comes amid continued consumer derision over the use of talcum as the baby powder’s main ingredient, which has led to as many as 40,000 lawsuits, mostly filed by women suffering from the effects of ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer typically associated with exposure to asbestos. Many have accused the company of knowingly selling the product to consumers, despite the links that talcum had to health concerns, especially with regards to asbestos contamination.
According to the American Cancer Society, talc is a mineral comprised of the elements magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. In its naturally occurring state, it is also known to contain the carcinogen asbestos, a group of natural minerals that have been linked to cancer.
Cornstarch-based baby powder was developed in the 1980s
However, the company highlights that they have been selling cornstarch-based baby powder in multiple countries across the globe, with the first iterations of the product having been developed since the 1980s according to an investigative report by Reuters published in 2018. They were created in response to concerns raised by consumer advocates at the time of asbestos contamination in the product, similar to the reactions seen now.
A quick check on the Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder produced from the company’s Bangkok plant and sold in Malaysia shows that it consists only of talc and fragrance as its ingredients.
Johnson & Johnson has claimed that their decision to move away from talcum completely is part of their ongoing efforts to continually evaluate its product portfolio, while simplifying its offerings and meeting ‘evolving global trends’.
They have also reiterated the safety of their Baby Powder, and stressed that ‘decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world’ have reaffirmed the fact that the powder contains no traces of asbestos, does not cause cancer, and is perfectly safe for use.
Tap here to give us a ‘Like’ on Facebook and stay up-to-date on the latest news!
Also read: Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice-cream removed from M’sian shelves over presence of cancer-causing agent
