(RxWiki News) Johnson & Johnson has thousands of ongoing lawsuits because of its baby powder. Now, the product is leaving North American store shelves.
As a result of ongoing lawsuits, demand for J&J's baby powder sharply declined. Now, the company has indicated that it will stop selling the talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada.
The lawsuits the company faces are about the link between the baby powder and exposure to asbestos, a carcinogen (which means it causes cancer) that sometimes occurs naturally with talc.
The baby powder is made of talc, and there are thousands of reports indicating that the talc has caused cancer.
In fact, Reuters published an investigation in 2018 that revealed that J&J knew for decades that asbestos was indeed in the baby powder, but the company did not inform regulators or the public.
According to Reuters' investigation, from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, some of Johnson & Johnson's raw talc and finished baby powders tested positive for small amounts of asbestos. The investigation revealed that the company knew and even discussed how to address the problem but failed to let the public know.
Other baby powders are made of cornstarch instead of talc. And some of these cornstarch-based powders are made by Johnson & Johnson.
It is unclear whether talc-based powders are linked to ovarian cancer. Some studies have not found a link, but other studies have suggested a possible association between talc-based powders and ovarian cancer.
Speak with your health care provider if you have any questions.