Johnson and Johnson Recalls Baby Powder

Valerie Fowler, staff

Published January 10, 2020

Johnson & Johnson, a company that produces everything from Band-Aids to baby products, faced lawsuits from about 15,500 people in the U.S. Oct. 18 and recalled about 33,000 bottles of its baby powder after federal regulators from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said they found trace amounts of asbestos in one bottle bought online.

”No asbestos was detected in any of the samples when prepared in the standard room,” the company said in an announcement.

Asbestos, a fiber once used in construction, can cause lung damage if breathed in. An announcement was released Oct. 26 by J&J saying that one of the labs had used an air conditioner contaminated with asbestos, and that although initial tests of some baby powder were positive for asbestos, when prepared in a standard room none was found.

“For 133 years, the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies have been committed to putting the needs and well-being of the people we serve first, and we will continue to do so,” J&J announced.

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Fifteen new tests by the FDA and 48 additional tests from samples of the recalled bottles found no asbestos but still the stock fell 6.2 percent Oct. 18 when the event took place. The public is sending back the company’s products, specifically the baby powder, for refunds in fear that theirs could be contaminated with Asbestos.

“Thousands of tests over the last 40 years repeatedly confirm that our consumer talc products do not contain asbestos. Our talc comes from ore sources confirmed to meet our stringent specifications that exceed industry standards,” Johnson & Johnson said on their website.

The multinational corporation also faces over 15,000 lawsuits claiming that their talc products, including baby powder, can cause ovarian cancer and a rare form of cancer called mesothelioma. J&J claimed those statements to be false and says that their talc meets industry standards and is safe for use.

“Rigorous and third-party testing confirms there is no asbestos in Johnson’s Baby Powder, we stand by the safety of our product,” J&J said in a statement on their website.

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About the Contributor

Valerie Fowler, Managing Editor

Valerie Fowler is a Senior at PHS who is the Managing Editor for the publication and with the aspiration of becoming better writer. Fowler says that she enjoys writing because she wants to be able to give others voices and wants to be able to give out information that people need to know, want to know, and should know. She is a smart and dedicated student who loves to interact with others and make people happy.