Guwahati:
Healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson has discontinued its talc-based baby-powder products in the US and Canada after a sharp dip in sales following multiple lawsuits alleging asbestos contamination. However, the product will continue to be sold in other countries.
Although Johnson & Johnson has defended the safety of its talcum powder, the health care behemoth has been forced to pay out billions of dollars in compensation after years of litigation.
Kathleen Widmer, chairman of North America for Johnson & Johnson's consumer health division, told media, "Johnson's baby powder will continue to be sold in other markets where there's significantly higher demand, and where consumers are not confused by misleading litigation advertising."
Johnson and Johnson, meanwhile, blamed "misinformation around the safety of the product and a constant barrage of litigation advertising" for the fall in demand in North America, and will now stop selling the product which represents about 0.5 per cent of the company's US consumer-health sales.
It is pertinent to mention here that as of March, around 19,400 petitioners had filed lawsuits against the healthcare giant over its talc-based powder in American courts, alleging it caused ovarian cancer and other diseases.
Notably, the company was forced to recalled around 33,000 bottles of talc-based baby powder products in the US following the Food and Drug Administration's verdict that traces of asbestos were found in the product.