Johnson & Johnson to stop selling talc baby powder in US, Canada

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday introduced it might cease promoting its talc Baby Powder within the United States and Canada, saying demand had dropped within the wake of what it referred to as “misinformation” concerning the product’s security amid a barrage of authorized challenges.

J&J faces greater than 19,000 lawsuits from customers and their survivors claiming its talc merchandise brought on most cancers resulting from contamination with asbestos, a identified carcinogen. Many are pending earlier than a U.S. district choose in New Jersey.

“I wish my mother could be here to see this day,” stated Crystal Deckard, whose mom Darlene Coker alleged Baby Powder brought on her mesothelioma. She dropped the swimsuit filed in 1999 after dropping her struggle to compel J&J to expose inside information. Coker died of mesothelioma in 2009.

In its assertion, J&J stated it “remains steadfastly confident in the safety of talc-based Johnson`s Baby Powder,” citing “decades of scientific studies.”

J&J has confronted intense scrutiny of the security of its child powder following an investigative report by Reuters https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/johnsonandjohnson-ca… in 2018 that discovered the corporate knew for many years that asbestos lurked in its talc.

Internal firm information, trial testimony and different proof present that from at the very least 1971 to the early 2000s, the corporate`s uncooked talc and completed powders typically examined positive for small quantities of asbestos. (https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/johnsonandjohnson-ca…)

The Reuters article prompted a inventory selloff that erased about $40 billion from J&J’s market worth in sooner or later and created a public relations disaster because the blue-chip healthcare conglomerate confronted widespread questions concerning the attainable well being results of one among its most iconic merchandise.

J&J has additionally been the goal of a federal felony investigation into how forthright it has been about its talc merchandise’ security, an investigation by 41 states into its child powder gross sales, which it disclosed in April, and an investigation into well being dangers of asbestos in talc-containing shopper merchandise by a Congressional subcommittee.

U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who led the Congressional inquiry, described J&J`s resolution to cease promoting talc child powder as “a major victory for public health”, including: “My Subcommittee’s 14-month investigation revealed that Johnson & Johnson knew for decades that its product contains asbestos.”

In response to proof of asbestos contamination introduced in media stories, within the courtroom room and on Capitol Hill, J&J has repeatedly stated its talc merchandise are secure, and don’t trigger most cancers.

Apart from the child powder controversy, the corporate revered by tens of millions of customers and one of the trusted manufacturers in America, extra lately has confronted a sequence of authorized and reputational challenges.

J&J has stated it has been named as a defendant, together with different drugmakers, in additional than 2,900 lawsuits alleging the businesses improperly promoted addictive opioids.

In August, an Oklahoma choose rendered the primary verdict in that litigation, ordering J&J to pay $572.1 million to the state for its half in fueling an opioid epidemic by deceptively advertising and marketing addictive painkillers.

J&J is interesting the Oklahoma choose`s ruling and has denied it brought on the opioid disaster.

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday stated it had stopped delivery talc child powder when the COVID-19 disaster led to limits on procuring and manufacturing, and that now it might wind down North American gross sales.

“Demand for talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in North America has been declining due in large part to changes in consumer habits and fueled by misinformation around the safety of the product and a constant barrage of litigation advertising,” it stated in an announcement.

Sold constantly since 1894, Johnson’s Baby Powder now accounts for under about 0.5% of its U.S. shopper well being enterprise, the corporate stated. But it stays a logo of the corporate`s family-friendly picture.

An inside J&J advertising and marketing presentation from 1999 refers back to the child merchandise division, with Baby Powder on the core, as J&J’s “#1 Asset,” grounded in “deep, private belief” and a 2003 internal memo described it as a “sacred cow,” Reuters reported.

Christie Nordhielm, a professor of selling at Georgetown, stated it seems J&J made its resolution to withdraw from the market whereas customers are preoccupied with the pandemic. “It`s a nice time to quietly do it,” she stated, including “it will minimize the reputational hit.”

Shares of J&J had been unchanged in after-hours buying and selling following the disclosure.

“We will continue to vigorously defend the product, its safety, and the unfounded allegations against it and the Company in the courtroom,” Johnson & Johnson stated. “All verdicts against the company that have been through the appeals process have been overturned.”

Krystal Kim, one among 22 ladies with ovarian most cancers whose case in St. Louis resulted in a 2018 jury verdict of $4.69 billion towards J&J, stated the choice was “a step in the right direction.” J&J has appealed that verdict.

Nevertheless, J&J`s authorized challenges probably will proceed, some legal professionals stated.

In April, a New Jersey choose dominated that 1000’s of plaintiffs who allege J&J`s talc merchandise brought on most cancers can go ahead with their claims, however face limits on what professional testimony can be allowed in trials.

“Just taking it off the shelf today doesn’t end the litigation by a long shot,” stated Loyola Law Professor Adam Zimmerman.

Asbestos is understood to trigger most cancers that emerges a long time after publicity. Cases involving asbestos-containing merchandise faraway from {the marketplace} way back “continue to be litigated very actively to this day,” Zimmerman stated.

Many of the lawsuits allege Baby Powder brought on plaintiffs` mesothelioma, an incurable most cancers of the liner of the lungs and different organs generally attributable to asbestos.

“Just as J&J vows to continue fighting vigorously in the courts, we look forward to meeting them there as we continue to pursue justice for our clients,” stated Chris Placitella, one of many lead legal professionals representing plaintiffs within the circumstances consolidated in a New Jersey federal courtroom.

J&J stated it’s going to proceed to promote cornstarch-based child powder in North America, and can promote each its talc and cornstarch-based merchandise in different markets world wide.