J&J draws line under Baby Powder asbestos scandal with test results
New tests were carried out by two third party labs, who confirmed no asbestos was present
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has said that its Baby Powder is ‘safe’ to use after third party tests failed to find traces of asbestos.
The tests were undertaken in reaction to a product recall by the firm in October, after tests initiated by the FDA by AMA Analytical Services (AMA) found traces of the substance in a batch of its Baby Powder.
J&J said: “Our talc is safe and asbestos free, and these 150 plus tests, and the tests we routinely do to ensure the quality and safety of our talc-based products are consistent with the results from renowned independent research labs over the past 40 years.”
Over the course of J&J’s investigation into its talc, 155 tests were conducted by certification agency Bueno Veritas and analytical lab RJ Lee Group on samples from the Jizhua Quarry Talc Mine in Guangxi, China.
J&J said it had ruled out mine and manufacturing supply chain as a cause for AMA’s asbestos findings.
But, according to J&J, testing protocols at AMA “deviated from standard practice” and it did not “execute a full asbestos confirmation”.
The company said the probable cause for the FDA results was either test sample contamination or an error by AMA’s analyst.
J&J has been at the centre of a number of legal battles regarding its alleged asbestos-contaminated Baby Powder and has paid out more than US$4bn in damages.
J&J and AMA have been contacted for comment.
J&J's asbestos saga timeline
- July 2018 - J&J order to pay damages over asbestos-contaminated talc products
Johnson & Johnson 'deeply disappointed' with $4.7bn talc cancer court ruling
- February 2019 - Sri Lanka halts imports of J&J Baby Powder
Sri Lanka halts imports of Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder amid asbestos worries
- August 2019 - J&J tells court its talc product "never" contained asbestos in new court battle
Johnson & Johnson tells jury talc products “never” contained asbestos
- August 2019 - J&J fined damages over claims its baby powder caused four people to develop mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer
Johnson & Johnson slapped with $37.3m fine over cancer causing asbestos claims
- October 2019 - J&J recalls products after FDA finds asbestos in Baby Powder
- October 2019 - J&J blames air conditioner for asbestos traces in Baby Powder J&J says air conditioner is to blame for asbestos found in Baby Powder
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