Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Johnson & Johnson Say Tests Show That No Asbestos Was Found In Recalled Baby Powder, But FDA Stands By Results
The New York Times: Johnson & Johnson Says Recalled Baby Powder Doesn’t Have Asbestos
Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday that it did not find asbestos in multiple tests of a bottle of baby powder that the Food and Drug Administration said contained trace amounts of the carcinogen. The company had recalled 33,000 bottles of the product earlier this month after the regulator said it discovered evidence of chrysotile asbestos in a bottle bought from an online retailer. Johnson & Johnson said 15 new tests of that very bottle came up clean. (Hsu, 10/29)
The Wall Street Journal: J&J Says Suspect Baby Powder Is Asbestos-Free
On Oct. 18, J&J recalled one lot—or about 33,000 bottles—of its talcum powder after a laboratory test authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found a small amount of asbestos in a single bottle. J&J said at the time it was recalling the lot out of an abundance of caution, and would investigate the matter. The recall fueled concerns about the powder’s safety, and led major retailers, including CVS Health Corp. , to remove some bottles from store shelves. Asbestos, a mineral fiber once widely used in building construction, can cause lung damage if inhaled. (Loftus, 10/29)
CNBC: J&J Says It Found No Signs Of Asbestos In Baby Powder After Testing
FDA officials said they stand by results that showed asbestos contamination, according to Reuters. The FDA did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. The testing results for J&J’s baby powder has to be viewed as a “significant positive,” said Jared Holz, health-care sector strategist at Jefferies. (Lovelace, 10/29)
CBS News: Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder: Johnson & Johnson Says 15 Tests Show No Asbestos
"This finding underscores the importance of investigating any positive test result," Johnson & Johnson said. "Even when careful safeguards are followed, asbestos contamination may be introduced during sample division, storage, preparation and analysis." The company's statement is its latest in response to thousands of lawsuits claiming the talc-based powder contains asbestos. Last year, a jury awarded $4.7 billion in total damages to 22 women and their families after they claimed asbestos in the talcum powder contributed to their ovarian cancer. J&J is appealing the judgement and has won several other court cases alleging liability and damages. (Gibson, 10/29)
Bloomberg: J&J Says No Asbestos Found In Baby Powder After Re-Testing Batch
Steve Musser, deputy director for scientific operations in the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, said that while J&J has said the product is confirmed to be free of asbestos based on their testing, the FDA “would say the opposite” for the sample it reviewed. (Griffin and Feeley, 10/29)
In other consumer safety news —
Bloomberg: Bayer’s Roundup Headache Grows As Plaintiffs Pile Into Court
Bayer AG faces a surge in lawsuits from people alleging that its weedkiller Roundup causes cancer, ratcheting up the legal pressure as the company engages in settlement talks. There are now 42,700 U.S. plaintiffs suing over Roundup -- the herbicide inherited from Monsanto -- following a blitz of advertising by attorneys seeking new clients that began after Bayer entered mediation discussions in May. The German company last reported facing 18,400 plaintiffs in July and said earlier this month that it expected a surge. (Loh, 10/30)
