Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Investigation Reveals Johnson & Johnson Knew About Asbestos In Its Talcum Powder For Decades
Reuters: J&J Knew For Decades That Asbestos Lurked In Its Baby Powder
Facing thousands of lawsuits alleging that its talc caused cancer, J&J insists on the safety and purity of its iconic product. But internal documents examined by Reuters show that the company's powder was sometimes tainted with carcinogenic asbestos and that J&J kept that information from regulators and the public. (Girion, 12/14)
The Washington Post: Report: Johnson & Johnson Knew Its Talcum Powder Sometimes Had Asbestos Traces
The report said company officials fretted over the test results while keeping the information private and failing to disclose the test results to regulators and the public. Johnson & Johnson called the Reuters article “one-sided, false and inflammatory’’ and a “conspiracy theory.” (Rowland, 12/14)
The Associated Press: J&J Hammered By Report It Knew Of Asbestos In Baby Powder
In its statement Friday, Johnson & Johnson said “thousands of independent tests by regulators and the world’s leading labs prove our baby powder has never contained asbestos.” (12/14)
The New York Times: Asbestos Opens New Legal Front In Battle Over Johnson’s Baby Powder
The memos were concise and direct. An executive at Johnson & Johnson said the main ingredient in its best-selling baby powder could potentially be contaminated by asbestos, the dangerous mineral that can cause cancer. He recommended to senior staff in 1971 that the company “upgrade” its quality control of talc. Two years later, another executive raised a red flag, saying the company should no longer assume that its talc mines were asbestos-free. The powder, he said, sometimes contained materials that “might be classified as asbestos fiber.” (Rabin and Hsu, 12/14)
The New York Times: What Is Talc, Where Is It Used And Why Is Asbestos A Concern?
Nearly 12,000 women have sued Johnson & Johnson, with most claiming the talc in its well-known product Johnson’s Baby Powder caused their ovarian cancer. They now have a new potential legal front.In a recent case, a group of plaintiffs argued that the talc was contaminated with asbestos, a carcinogen considered unsafe at any level of exposure. A jury agreed with them, and awarded them $4.69 billion in damages in July. (Rabin, 12/14)
CNN: Johnson &Amp; Johnson Shares Plunge After Report That Says It Knew About Asbestos In Its Baby Powder
Johnson & Johnson's stock tumbled 10% on Friday — wiping out close to $40 billion of its market value — after a Reuters report said the company knew for decades that asbestos was in its baby powder. The company has been grappling with lawsuits alleging some of its talcum powder products caused cancer. But the Reuters report cites documents and other evidence that indicate company executives, mine managers, scientists, doctors and lawyers knew about the problem and failed to disclose it to regulators or the public. It was J&J's worst day since 2002. (Meyersohn, 12/14)
