The American pharmaceutical laboratory Johnson & Johnson will suspend the sale of talc in the world, from 2023, after thousands of complaints questioning the safety of this product for babies.
Johnson & Johnson announced in a statement that it has made the business decision to replace talc with cornstarch beginning in 2023. “As part of a global portfolio assessment, we have made the business decision to transition to a corn-based baby talcum powder”. starch,” the company said, as quoted by the “Reuters” news agency.
The company revealed that the cornstarch baby product is already sold in several countries. In 2020, Johnson & Johnson had stopped selling talcum powder in the United States and Canada, after claims the product caused cancer, leading to a drop in demand.
According to Reuters, Johnson & Johnson is facing around 38,000 lawsuits from consumers who claim products made with talc, a clay mineral made of magnesium silicate, have caused cancer due to asbestos contamination. .
The allegations emerged in 2018, with information indicating that Johnson & Johnson had known for decades that the talcum powder contained asbestos, a mineral similar in composition and characteristics to asbestos, a material that has harmful effects about health.
The US drugmaker denies the claims, which it considers “misinformation”, and says it is safe to use talc, despite the product being suspended. “Our position on the safety of our cosmetic powder remains unchanged. Decades of scientific analysis by medical experts around the world confirm that Johnson’s baby talcum powder is safe, asbestos-free and does not cause cancer,” says value North American society.
