Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Major Retailers Yank 22-Ounce Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder To Avoid Confusion Following Recall
Reuters: Walmart, CVS And Rite Aid Pull 22-Ounce J&J Baby Powder Off Shelves
Three major U.S. retailers, including Walmart, are removing all 22-ounce bottles of Johnson & Johnson's baby powder from their stores, following the healthcare conglomerate's recall last week of some bottles due to possible asbestos contamination. CVS Health Corp said on Thursday it would remove the bottles from its online store as well, out of caution and to prevent customer confusion. The pharmacy chain said all other sizes of the talc would remain on its shelves. (10/24)
The Wall Street Journal: CVS To Halt Sales Of Some J&J Talcum Powder After Recall
Last week, J&J recalled about 33,000 bottles of Johnson’s Baby Powder because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found a small amount of asbestos in a single bottle, a discovery that fueled existing concerns about the safety of the famous product. Asbestos can cause disease including a rare cancer called mesothelioma. A J&J spokesman said Thursday CVS informed the company it is temporarily removing the 22 oz. bottles of Johnson’s Baby Powder in response to the recall. Other Johnson’s Baby Powder products will remain in CVS stores, the J&J spokesman said. (Loftus, 10/24)
Bloomberg: CVS Pulling All 22-Oz J&J Baby Powder From Shelves Amid Recall
J&J has been in the cross-hairs recently over claims it knew for 40 years that its iconic baby powder was tainted with asbestos and hid it from consumers. Asbestos is often found intertwined with talc when mined. The company faces more than 15,000 lawsuits over its handling of its talc-based powders, as well as regulatory and criminal probes. (Feeley, 10/24)
In other health industry news —
The Associated Press: FTC Sues To Block Promoters Of Bogus Diabetes 'Cure'
Federal regulators are suing to block pamphlet and newsletter publishers from marketing a purported cure for diabetes and advertising claims that consumers can collect $1 trillion in "Congressional Checks" or "Republican Checks." In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Maryland, the Federal Trade Commission says publishers of "The Doctor's Guide to Reversing Diabetes in 28 Days" are falsely promising a cure for the disease without dietary changes or exercise. (Kunzelman, 10/24)
Reuters: Diaper Rush: Conquering A $9 Billion Market No One Wants To Talk About
The time may not be far off when more adults need diapers than babies as the population grows older, potentially a huge opportunity for manufacturers of incontinence products - if they can lift the stigma that has long constrained sales. The market for adult diapers, disposable underwear and absorbent pads is growing fast, up 9% last year to $9 billion, having doubled in the last decade, according to Euromonitor. (Naidu and Ando, 10/22)
