Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has decided to abandon talc-based baby powder next year and instead will make that product with cornstarch, according to CNN.
The company's talc-based powder, which has not been sold in the United States and Canada since 2020, is at the center of tens of thousands of lawsuits filed by women who allege that they have developed ovarian cancer after using the regular talcum powder.
Johnson & Johnson released a statement, saying it remains confident in the safety of its product. However, the company said on Friday, August 12, that it would stop selling talc-based powder worldwide next year as part of a worldwide portfolio assessment.
J&J aims for long-term growth with this decision
J&J said it continuously evaluates and optimizes its portfolio to best position the business for long-term growth. The company added that this transition would help simplify their product offerings, deliver sustainable innovation, and meet the needs of their consumers, customers, and evolving global trends.
Some talcum powder companies have placed warning labels on their products, but Johnson & Johnson argued that such a label would be confusing, as it stood by its talc-based product. Some scientific studies have shown that women who used talc in the genital area have an increased risk of ovarian cancer, but others do not, according to Oregon Live.
Many lawsuits have been filed against the company, alleging that asbestos in J&J's talcum powder causes cancer. A St. Louis jury delivered a staggering $4.7 billion verdict against the company in 2018, saying Johnson & Johnson was negligent and did not warn consumers about possible health risks from its baby powder.
J&J said in Friday's announcement that their position on the safety of their cosmetic talc remains unchanged, and they stand firmly behind the decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirmed talc-based Johnson's Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.
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Investigation showed J&J knew asbestos was present in its talc
A shareholder proposal calling for Johnson & Johnson to end global sales of the talc baby powder failed in April. A Reuters investigation in 2018 found that J&J knew for decades that asbestos, a carcinogen, was present in its talc products.
Trial testimony, internal company records, and other evidence showed that from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, Johnson & Johnson's raw talc and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos.
Johnson & Johnson spun off subsidiary LTL Management back in October, assigned its talc claims to it, and immediately placed it into bankruptcy, pausing the pending lawsuits against the company. Ben Whiting, an attorney with the plaintiffs firm Keller Postman, said that because the lawsuits are paused in bankruptcy, J&J's sales decision won't immediately impact them.
