J&J facilities raided, 100 samples drawn

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 19

The apex drug regulator today conducted raids at Johnson and Johnson's Baddi and Mumbai facilities and drew more than 100 samples in a bid to determine whether the company's trademark talcum powder is safe.

The raids follow a Missouri jury in the US recently ordering Johnson & Johnson to pay a record $4.69 billion to 22 women who alleged that they had developed ovarian cancer after using the firm's talc-based products, including baby powder. J&J has been fighting allegations that its baby powder contains cancer-causing asbestos.

Speaking to The Tribune, Drug Controller General of India Eswara Reddy said the governments would send the samples to national drug testing laboratories to rule out asbestos traces from the products. The Drug Controller has formed teams consisting of around 100 central drug licensing inspectors to raid J&J facilities. “After Baddi and Mumbai, more raids will follow if more manufacturing locations are found,” said Reddy.

The company, meanwhile, said they were fully cooperating with the authorities and maintained their products had been proven safe after years of research.

The Indian apex drug controller, the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation, however, said concerns around J&J talcum-based products needed to be addressed afresh in the wake of the US jury asking the firm to pay up a record compensation to women who complained of ovarian cancer.

The latest trouble for the firm comes while it's still reeling under the impact of marketing faulty hip implants that caused disability in several Indians. The Health Ministry recently approved a formula for J&J to pay compensation to the patients who suffered after receiving the faulty implants.