Adroit Market Research - Industry Insights

What’s the controversy around extensively used Johnson & Johnson’s talcum baby powder?

The United States court just a week ago ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay a compensation of approx. $ 72 million towards the coverages to the family of a female who died of ovarian cancer that was connected to her persistent usage of the Johnson & Johnson’s talcum baby powder. Also, it has been recorded that more than 1,000 people have filed related lawsuits. According to the reports, Jacqueline Fox of Alabama had been using the baby talcum powder for the feminine hygiene for almost 35 years, before she got diagnosed with the ovarian cancer i.e. 3 years ago. After he

What’s the controversy around extensively used Johnson & Johnson’s talcum baby powder?

The United States court just a week ago ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay a compensation of approx. $ 72 million towards the coverages to the family of a female who died of ovarian cancer that was connected to her persistent usage of the Johnson & Johnson’s talcum baby powder. Also, it has been recorded that more than 1,000 people have filed related lawsuits. According to the reports, Jacqueline Fox of Alabama had been using the baby talcum powder for the feminine hygiene for almost 35 years, before she got diagnosed with the ovarian cancer i.e. 3 years ago. After her death in October 2015, when she was of 62 years, the family lawyer was cited as stating Johnson & Johnson “identified as far back as the 1980s of the threat”, then sustained “lying to the people and also to the regulatory organizations”.

What are the constituents of Talc-based powder?

The powder is made up of talc that is a mineral made mostly from of silicon, magnesium as well as oxygen. It can easily absorbs all the moisture from the skin keeping it dry, also preventing rashes. Johnson & Johnson’s avows that there is nothing erroneous with its merchandise. Nevertheless, the extensively reported incident has left the society, mainly parents of the new born nervous. The product is broadly been used by the mothers across the globe for their babies wearing diapers. Fears has urged the medical professionals in the United States several years ago to warn against the usage of talcum powder while diapering new born.

Can talcum powder really cause cancer?

Although a number of studies have proposed a connection between talcum powder & ovarian cancer, researchers are have still not reached at any definite solution. There are certain talc in natural form, that contains asbestos as well as the American Cancer Society states it is significant to differentiate between talc that consists of asbestos & talc which does not contain asbestos, adding that “talc that has asbestos is usually recognized as being capable of causing cancer if it is breathed”. The IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) that is a portion of the World Health Organization, categorizes talc that consists of asbestos as “oncogenic to humans”, as well as states that perineal (genital) usage of talc based body powder might be “perhaps oncogenic to humans”.

Investigations have looked at a probable relationship between the talcum powder & ovarian cancer, for which the result up till now have been mixed. Since, some of the investigations have proposed about the talcum powder causing cancer in the ovaries if the particles of powder are applied to the genital area or over sanitary napkins, condoms or even diaphragms. These might travel via fallopian tubes towards the ovary, states the American Cancer Society.

However, no augmented risk of lung cancer has been reported yet with the usage of cosmetic talcum powder. Moreover, usage of talc has also not been sturdily associated to other malignancies, declares the American Cancer Society. Overall, although there has been no clear solutions yet over a talc-cancer connection, those with the fears can avoid using them or else restrict their usage, as per the professionals. In addition, as a substitute they are suggested to use cosmetic products that are based on cornstarch.

What is the stand of Johnson & Johnson’s over this?

This is not the first time when the leading brand for baby products has landed in a dispute over safety concerns.

Previously, in October 2013, the US jury established that the usage of Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder was a cause in claimant’s Deane Berg developing ovarian cancer. However, it didn’t create any damages in that instance. Some years ago, a Campaign for Safe Cosmetics alleged by a non-profit US watchdog group, after a sequence of research laboratory tests that J&J’s baby shampoo consisted of the carcinogen formaldehyde, compelling the corporation to pledge to eradicate poisonous chemicals from all its baby products.

Then, in the year 2013, Johnson & Johnson’s lost the license for the production of baby powder at its Mumbai based plant. The Indian FDA (Food & Drug Administration) commanded for the filing of a case after it established that the company’s baby powder products were been sterilized using ethylene oxide, that has been categorized as an irritant as well as a cancer-causing element. Nevertheless, the Bombay High Court, permitted the corporation to resume the production at the plant subsequently.

Later the instance in Missouri, US, previous week, Johnson & Johnson’s held in a declaration that it has “no greater responsibility than the health as well as safety of consumers… however firmly believes that the safety of cosmetic talc is reinforced by the decades of methodical evidence”, as per the reports. They also stated that, though they have been responding along with the scientific evidences that guarantees safety. But, now they believe that they need to go beyond all this and be reactive to their consumers for their mental satisfaction.

What are Consumers supposed to do now?

This entirely depends upon the individuals as well as couples with new born babies plus the instruction given by their physicians. For the individuals who feel they should use talc based powder, a number of experts seem like believing that it’s fine on condition that the baby does not inhale that in. Another rational guidelines included by the pediatricians is not to sprinkle or use a puff for applying the powder that might spread particles in the air — and to instead use hands to dab the infant; not to put on the powder over the face; and to apply the powder merely over dry skin.