Johnson & Johnson to stop selling talc-based baby powder in U.S., Canada
After thousands of lawsuits that claimed Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder contained asbestos, the company announced Tuesday that it will stop selling the talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada.
The company said in a statement, “Demand for talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in North America has been declining due in large part to changes in consumer habits and fueled by misinformation around the safety of the product and a constant barrage of litigation advertising,” CBS News reported.
The lawsuits claim that the powder contained asbestos that caused cancer and that consumers were not warned about the potential risks, The New York Times reported.
The existing stock of the baby powder will continue to be sold until it runs out, company officials said.
Johnson & Johnson officials said that despite the lawsuits, the product is safe and that “all verdicts against the company that have been through the appeals process have been overturned.”
More than 19,000 lawsuits have been filed as of earlier this year, the Times reported.
Baby powder made with cornstarch will continue to be sold in the U.S. and Canada, and the traditional product will still be available in other markets, CBS News reported.
