NCPCR summons officials from five states to check J&J baby product safety

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Apr 11, 2019

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights summoned government officials from Jharkhand, Assam, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh to query the status of tests on Johnson & Johnson baby talcum powder and shampoo.

The NCPCR issued a notice to summon representatives from the five concerned states as it had not received sufficient information from them on the results of tests on J&J baby products, TNN reported. The NCPCR notice also included the new complaint made by the Rajasthan Government on April 2 that stated that J&J shampoo samples were found to contain harmful substances. The Rajasthan Government ordered that two batches of J&J “No More Tears” shampoo be taken off shelves as it reported finding traces of formaldehyde in samples of them.

The state-level officials have been requested to appear before the NCPCR on April 15. As some of the commission’s requests for samples to be used in tests by government-approved laboratories date back to May 17, 2016, the NCPCR has asked for a reason for delayed replies and a current status report. 

J&J’s baby shampoo has been accused of continuing traces of the carcinogen formaldehyde and the brand’s baby talcum powder has been accused of containing traces of asbestos. J&J denies both of these claims. The brand said in a statement that it does not “add formaldehyde as an ingredient in our shampoo nor does Johnson’s baby shampoo contain any ingredient that can release formaldehyde over time”.