Johnson & Johnson Drops Talcum Powder Globally as Lawsuits Mount
- Decision follows move to pull talc baby powder in US in 2020
- J&J cites commercial reasons; settlements near $3.5 billion
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Johnson & Johnson said it plans to stop selling its legacy talc-based baby-powder products globally in 2023, a move that comes amid continued legal battles and years after the company discontinued the product in the US and Canada.
J&J said Thursday that it had made the “commercial decision” to transition all its baby powder products to use cornstarch instead of talcum powder after conducting an assessment of its portfolio. The health conglomerate, which maintains the product is safe, has for almost a decade faced lawsuits accusing it of hiding cancer risks tied its talc-based baby powder.