Johnson & Johnson Will Discontinue Talc-Based Baby Powder Globally in 2023 - The New York Times

Johnson & Johnson will start using cornstarch in all the baby powder it sells around the world, shifting away from the talcum powder that put the popular product at the center of tens of thousands of lawsuits filed by customers.

The company discontinued North American sales of its talc-based baby powder in 2020 after recalling some bottles in 2019, but will stop sales of the product globally in 2023, it said on Thursday.

Johnson & Johnson said it was already selling baby powder using cornstarch in countries around the world.

More than 40,000 lawsuits, many from women with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, have accused Johnson & Johnson of selling talc baby powder while being aware of its links to health risks, such as possible asbestos contamination.

The company said the decision to move to cornstarch was part of a continuous evaluation of its portfolio and would help simplify its product offerings and meet “evolving global trends.” It also reiterated its position on baby powder’s safety: “We stand firmly behind the decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirms talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.”.

Johnson & Johnson has sold cornstarch baby powder for decades, developing the version of the product in 1980 after consumer advocates raised concerns that talc contained traces of asbestos, a carcinogen.