On Oct. 19, the FDA announced J&J’s recall of nearly 33,000 bottles of its 22-oz Baby Powder. This came alongside a Johnson & Johnson (J&J) disclosure that a government test detected traces of cancer-causing asbestos particles in a sample of J&J Baby Powder. The recall affects all bottles in Baby Powder lot #22318RB, which is the lot number of the contaminated sample.
This particular recall is significant because it is the first time that a government ordered test of baby powder resulted in the detection of asbestos. The asbestos was detected by researchers in a laboratory under an FDA contract. There have been reports of asbestos’ presence in baby powder since as early as the 1970s but J&J has denied the same. J&J has since retested the tainted bottle of Baby Powder 15 times, claiming that no asbestos were present in the sample, but the FDA is standing by its findings.
How Do Cancer-causing Asbestos Get into Baby Powder?
The main component of J&J’s Baby Powder is talcum (talc). Talcum is a natural clay mineral that is mined from the Earth and used in baby powder to prevent diaper rash. Asbestos refers to a group of six naturally-occuring minerals that can be found in many of the same mines as talcum. Serious health consequences can result from even trace amounts of asbestos exposure, which is linked to progressive and sometimes fatal diseases including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. It can take years or even decades after being exposed to asbestos for the health impacts to emerge.
There have been over 19,000 claims filed against Johnson & Johnson by plaintiffs who allege that their cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos in J&J’s products. In two past two years alone, multiple juries have sided with plaintiffs, ordering J&J to pay over $5 billion in damages for the irreversible harm it has caused.
If you or a loved one developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using J&J talcum containing products please give the dangerous drug and device attorneys at Childers, Schlueter, & Smith a call at 800-641-0098 or fill out our online contact form. All initial inquiries are free of charge and without obligation.
A partner with Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC,, Brandon Smith has devoted his practice to pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts, products liability and serious personal injury. A frequent guest speaker at legal seminars all over the country—Brandon is focused on helping injured victims nationwide, however possible. Named a SuperLawyer again in 2019, he has also been called out as one of 10 Best Attorneys For Georgia by the American Institute Of Personal Injury Attorneys and a Top 100 Lawyer in Georgia by the National Trial Lawyers in 2019.
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