Johnson & Johnson announced late on Thursday that it will discontinue selling its talcum-based baby powder globally and replace it with its current cornstarch version as of next year.
The decision was made in response to numerous lawsuits filed in recent years by women who alleged that the powder had caused their ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, cancer that affects the lungs and other organs. Baby powder is harmless and does not cause cancer, according to the manufacturer and talc research in medicine.
Due to “misleading talc litigation advertising that produced global misunderstanding and unwarranted alarm,” Johnson & Johnson decided to discontinue the product.
