New York (Business) Johnson & Johnson is abandoning talc-based baby powder next year and will instead make cornstarch.
Its 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 developed ovarian cancer after using the regular powder.
Johnson & Johnson says it remains confident in the product’s safety. But in a statement on Friday, the company said it would stop selling the talc-based powder worldwide next year as part of a “global portfolio review”.
“We are constantly evaluating and optimizing our portfolio to best position ourselves for long-term growth,” the company said in a statement. “This transition will help simplify our product offering, drive sustainable innovation and meet the needs of our consumers, customers and evolving global trends.”
A handful of talcum powder companies have placed warning labels on their products, but Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) argued that such a label would be confusing because it stands by its product. Some scientific studies have shown that women have an increased risk of ovarian cancer when using talc in the genital area, others have not.
Lawsuits have been filed against the company alleging that the asbestos in its talcum powder causes cancer. Jury in St. Louis filed a $4.7 billion verdict against the company in 2018, alleging that the company was negligent in failing to warn consumers of potential health risks from its baby powder.
“Our position on the safety of our cosmetic talcum powder remains unchanged. We stand firmly behind decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world confirming that Johnson’s Talc-based Baby Powder is safe, asbestos-free and cancer-free.” ” said Friday’s announcement.