Amidst raids, Johnson & Johnson maintains that talcum powder is asbestos free

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Dec 20, 2018

Johnson & Johnson maintains that its talcum powder in India is asbestos free as India’s main drug regulator is in the middle of collecting samples for testing at facilities across the country.

"Today, a few of our facilities were visited by the CDSCO and local FDA authorities and we are fully co-operating with them by providing tests and samples," the company said in a formal statement.

The US-based business also argued that the government is not raiding its facilities but is merely carrying out standard tests. "The characterization of these visits as “raids” or “seizures” is incorrect as has been reported in some instances. The tests have been conducted in the regular way that the FDA collects samples," said the statement.

The business clarified that its talcum powder, marketed for use on babies, is asbestos free and does not cause ovarian cancer as has been claimed. "In the past authorities in India like the FDAs and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) have confirmed that our products comply with Indian standards and are free of asbestos," the company said. The Economic Times reported that CDSCO and State drug regulators will conclude their raids this week and subsequently test what they have seized.

The raids follow a Reuters report that claimed that Johnson & Johnson could have known since 1971 that its baby talcum powder sometimes contained asbestos until at least the early 2000s. The report accused the business of failing to disclose this information.