After facing thousands of lawsuits alleging baby powder cancer and a 2019 recall, Johnson & Johnson has decided to stop selling its baby powder products in the U.S. and Canada.

According to Johnson & Johnson, the move was made in response to a decline of baby powder sales influenced “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.”

However, the company reportedly stands behind their products and has pledged to defend themselves against legal pressures.

“Decades of scientific studies by medical experts around the world support the safety of our product,” Johnson & Johnson said in a statement to CNBC. “We will continue to vigorously defend the product, its safety, and the unfounded allegations against it and the company in the courtroom.”

Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson baby powder was the subject of thousands of lawsuits in both the United States and Canada from consumers who claim that they developed cancer after using it. Many consumers claim that their cancer was a result of using baby powder products contaminated with asbestos.

Asbestos, a known carcinogen, may find its way into talc-based products such as cosmetics or baby powder due to its natural proximity to talc in the earth. When talc is mined, asbestos fibers may also be collected.

Mining companies can avoid this by carefully selecting their mining sites and routinely testing their mined talc for asbestos.

Similarly, manufacturers of talc-based products can test their purchased talc for asbestos to ensure the safety of their products.

Although testing products for asbestos is an easy way to ensure consumer safety, plaintiffs in Johnson & Johnson baby powder cancer lawsuits claim that the company fails to ensure the safety of their products.

These consumers say that they have been harmed by the asbestos in Johnson & Johnson baby powder products after developing various forms of cancer such as mesothelioma.

Some juries have sided with plaintiffs on this issue, awarding millions of dollars to cancer victims.

In October, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay a California woman $40 million by a jury who determined that the plaintiff’s pleural mesothelioma was caused by the company’s baby powder products. The 71-year-old woman was allegedly diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma – or mesothelioma of the lung lining – in 2017 after using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and Shower to Shower products for years.

More recently, in February, a massive $186 million punitive damages award was granted by a New Jersey jury in a baby powder cancer lawsuit. The lawsuit claimed that Johnson & Johnson intentionally raised the asbestos detection limit in its testing process in order to avoid acknowledging the dangers of their products.

In March, a jury in Florida awarded an 82-year-old woman $9 million after finding that her mesothelioma diagnosis was linked with Johnson & Johnson baby powder products.

Numerous other verdicts have been reached against Johnson & Johnson, providing monetary compensation to consumers who were allegedly harmed by the company’s baby powder products. Countless plaintiffs continue to file legal claims against the company with similar allegations.

More Johnson and Johnson Baby Powder Problems

In addition to mounting legal pressures, Johnson and Johnson baby powder problems have included the pressure of public scrutiny following a recall of their products last year.

In October, Johnson & Johnson recalled a lot of their baby powder after routine testing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that the products contained asbestos.

“I understand today’s recall may be concerning to all those individuals who may have used the affected lot of baby powder. I want to assure everyone that the agency takes these concerns seriously and that we are committed to our mandate of protecting the public health,” then-Acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless said in a press release following the recall.

“The FDA continues to test cosmetic products that contain talc for the presence of asbestos to protect Americans from potential health risks.”

The company voluntarily recalled the lot of around 33,000 bottles of baby powder following the testing. However, Johnson & Johnson later called the FDA’s testing into question, saying that their own tests had not revealed any signs of asbestos. Regardless, the company’s reputation took a big hit with the voluntary recall, adding to distrust over baby powder cancer concerns.

Have you purchased Johnson & Johnson baby powder products? Are you concerned about baby powder cancer risks? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.