Johnson & Johnson to stop selling talc-based baby powder globally in 2023

US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson on Thursday announced that it will be discontinuing the sales of its controversial talc-based baby powder globally in 2023. 

The announcement to cease the product sales globally comes two years after J&J halted its sales in USA and Canada. In a statement, the company added that it will be moving from talc-based powders to cornstarch-based baby powder. As part of a worldwide portfolio assessment, we have made the commercial decision to transition to an all cornstarch-based baby powder portfolio. As a result of this transition, talc-based J&J Baby Powder will be discontinued globally in 2023," read the company's statement. 

For years, J&J talcum powders, especially baby powders have been at the centre of controversy. Over 38,000 lawsuits have been filed by the consumers as well as the survivors, some of whom allege they were hurt by the use of the product. Some of the lawsuits claim the powder contained cancer-causing material like asbestos.