J&J passes asbestos test, allowed to make baby powder in India

NEW DELHI: In a major relief to Johnson & Johnson(J&J), no asbestos was found in the baby powder manufactured in Baddi and Mulund plants. The government of India conducted sample tests after allegations of presence of asbestos in its baby powder. However, no trace of asbestos was detected and the company has recently resumed production of its baby powder.

"Johnson & Johnson has resumed production of its Johnson's Baby Powder at plants in Baddi and Mulund, after government sanctioned testing reaffirmed that the product does not contain asbestos," J&J said in a statement to Reuters.

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Reuters reported earlier on Thursday that the regulator had not found any asbestos in the company's talc, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The regulator and its counterparts in Indian states launched an investigation into J&J's Baby Powder following a Reuters report in December that the firm knew for decades that cancer-causing asbestos could be found in the product.

Also Read: After damaging Reuters report, J&J doubles down on talc safety message

J&J has described the Reuters article as "one-sided, false and inflammatory".

The Indian regulator wrote to the U.S. company in December asking it to stop using the "huge quantities" of raw materials stocked in its plants in northern and western India until test results proved they were free of asbestos.

"In recent months, regulatory authorities from Singapore, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and Egypt have also reaffirmed the purity of Johnson & Johnson's talc," J&J said.

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