Low sales are leading to the removal of talcum powder from North American store shelves, not health risks, an industry giant insists.
Johnson & Johnson recently told the organization Black Women for Wellness that its talc-based baby powder is safe, despite evidence possibly linking baby powder to some cancers, and the company still has no intention of taking it off the market internationally, the group revealed. The only reason the company states for pulling the powder from the U.S. is a lack of demand for it – demand driven down by media coverage of lawsuits against it.
The company has taken that public position since May, when it announced the move to stop selling the powder in North America. Black Women for Wellness joined 170 other advocacy groups in calling for Johnson & Johnson to stop selling the talcum powder, period, in July, over concerns it is tainted with asbestos, which causes cancer.
Johnson & Johnson was unconvinced by the campaign and unmoved, according to an e-mail one of its representatives sent to Black Women for Wellness, which the organization posted online.
“Research, clinical evidence and over 40 years of studies by medical experts around the world continue to support the safety of cosmetic talc,” the message from Kathleen Widmer of Johnson & Johnson’s consumer health department said. “We stand behind Johnson’s Baby Powder and continue to offer this product in many other regions around the world where there is higher consumer demand.”
Black Women for Wellness is unconvinced by the company’s reassurances.
“We are deeply disappointed by your patronizing and dismissive response to our request that your company take its responsibility seriously to protect women around the world from unsafe chemical exposures by removing toxic products aggressively marketed to Black women,” Executive Director Janette Robinson Flint wrote to Johnson & Johnson Chief Executive Officer Alex Gorsky in August. “Johnson & Johnson needs to prove its solidarity with Black lives by pulling talc-based products that may be contaminated with asbestos off store shelves globally.”
Thousands Sue Over Talc-Based Baby Powder
Tens of thousands of affected consumers, and their survivors, are suing Johnson & Johnson based on claims the talc products contain asbestos and caused cancer. A 2018 investigative report published by Reuters and based on internal paperwork and legal documents related to some of the litigation determined “from at least 1971 to the early 2000s, the company’s raw talc and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos, and that company executives, mine managers, scientists, doctors and lawyers fretted over the problem and how to address it while failing to disclose it to regulators or the public.”
What’s more, some of those internal Johnson & Johnson company records indicated at around the same time a division of the World Health Organization began classifying cosmetic talc possibly carcinogenic when women used it “as a genital antiperspirant and deodorant,” the company was planning in 2006 to target marketing to “under developed geographical areas with hot weather, and higher (African-American) population,” Reuters reported in another article.
Johnson & Johnson refuted much of Reuters’ reporting and insists its studies show the talc-based baby powder is safe.
In June, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $2.1 billion in damages to 22 plaintiffs who said they got ovarian cancer from using the company’s talc-based baby powder. The appeals court in Missouri lowered the original verdict from $4.7 billion, but said there was “clear and convincing evidence the defendants engaged in conduct that was outrageous because of evil motive or reckless indifference.”
Calls for Racial Justice Prompted Organization’s Attention
Robinson Flint said she was moved to call Johnson & Johnson out after Gorsky issued a statement in June to “all members of the Johnson & Johnson family worldwide” reaffirming what he called “our company’s commitment to justice and equality” and saying, “that black lives matter.”
In response, Robinson Flint issued a public statement and appealed to the company. “Marketing the same product with the same toxic chemical in international markets with majority Black and Brown women contradicts what they have said and calls into question the sincerity of their statements.”
Unsuccessful the first time around, Robinson Flint and Black Women for Wellness sent the company a second letter, on August 26, on behalf of 200 health and consumer organizations and agencies from 50 countries. The letter urges Johnson & Johnson to “walk its talk on racial equity and valuing Black women.”
Join a Free Johnson’s Baby Powder Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If you or your loved one was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and used a baby powder product such as Johnson and Johnson Baby Powder or Shower to Shower, submit your information now in the form on this page for a free and confidential case evaluation.
You may qualify to pursue compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.
See if you qualify by filling out the free form on this page.
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
Get Help – It’s Free
Join a Free Johnson’s Baby Powder Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
Failing to warn consumers about the danger of baby powder cancer could make companies liable for your injuries. If you used Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower to Shower body powder and were diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma — or your loved one was — you may have a legal claim.
Please Note: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client or getting you dropped as a client.
Submit your information now for a free case evaluation!
Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement
administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source
that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements,
drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class
Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the
status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the
settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding
your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are
expected to be mailed out.
We use cookies to improve functionality and performance, enhance user experience, and provide tailored content. Click Accept if you consent. Click Change Settings if you want to tailor the use of your cookies.
Accept
Read more
Change Settings
Cookie Box Settings
Cookie Box Settings
Privacy settings
Decide which cookies you want to allow.
You can change these settings at any time. However, this can result in some functions no longer being available. For information on deleting the cookies, please consult your browser’s help function.
Learn more about the cookies we use.
With the slider, you can enable or disable different types of cookies:
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Tailor information and advertising to your interests based on e.g. the content you have visited before
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Tailor information and advertising to your interests based on e.g. the content you have visited before
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
This website won't:
Remember your login details
Advertising: Use information for tailored advertising with third parties
Advertising: Allow you to connect to social sites
Advertising: Identify device you are using
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location
This website will:
Remember which cookies group you accepted
Essential: Remember your cookie permission setting
Essential: Allow session cookies
Essential: Gather information you input into a contact forms, newsletter and other forms across all pages
Essential: Keep track of what you input in a shopping cart
Essential: Authenticate that you are logged into your user account
Essential: Remember language version you selected
Functionality: Remember social media settings
Functionality: Remember selected region and country
Analytics: Keep track of your visited pages and interaction taken
Analytics: Keep track about your location and region based on your IP number
Analytics: Keep track of the time spent on each page
Analytics: Increase the data quality of the statistics functions
Advertising: Use information for tailored advertising with third parties
Advertising: Allow you to connect to social sites
Advertising: Identify device you are using
Advertising: Gather personally identifiable information such as name and location