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| Jhonson's baby powder, photo from NBC News |
Most of us exercise the routine of using baby powders to make us feel fresh despite the strong wave of summer. Kids and adults share the same brand, which is common here in our country, Johnsons & Johnsons baby powder. Although most of us are fond and dependable in this brand, disturbing news turned the social media as J&J recalls 33,000 of its talc bottles.
What happened?
In a statement from J&J, US Food and Drugs Administration found asbestos from the randomly purchased bottles of J&J baby powder hence the recall. Instead of the report, the J&J shares fell to six percent, which closed at $127.70 today.
It is the first instance J&J recalls the famous baby powder from the market. According to the studies conducted by the FDA, there are traces of asbestos from the sample, which are marked as harmful to humans. Asbestos is a carcinogen which is known to be connected with mesothelioma.
US healthcare conglomerate
The J&J is now considered as a US healthcare conglomerate for being in the industry for over 130 years. However, it currently faces thousands of lawsuits against some of their carrying brands from baby powders, medical devices, opioids, and even the antipsychotic Risperdal.
There are an estimate of 15,000 lawsuits filed against J&J from complainants claiming that the famous talc powder causes cancer. Dr Susan Nicholson of Women’s Health remarks the asbestos result to be “extremely unusual.”
The recall
Although J&J conducts a voluntary recall of the products, it released a statement saying that the testing conducted by the FDA says that there are no traces of asbestos from their talc. As a rebut, the FDA insists that the testing was conducted during the sampling of asbestos-containing talc products this year. In the second sampling of the talc from a different lot turned out negative from asbestos traces.
The FDA stands by the quality of their testing and the results as well. It also warns the consumers to stop using the same product, especially if they are carrying the same talc from the affected lot.
Source: ABS-CBN News
