Think before you talc

 Think before you talc

The memory of the silky feel and the fragrance brought forth an intense feeling of nostalgia and seemed like I was bidding farewell. But I had to know the reason. I stuck my nose-for-news into it and soon enough things became clear. In no time all emotions had turned to a sense of betrayal and disillusionment.

The issue in question is Johnson and Johnson pulling out its baby powder globally.

For those of you who overlooked the news, let me share. Johnson & Johnson, the company which makes baby products, has announced ending the sale of baby powder containing mineral talc the world over next year, i.e., 2023. No, it is not going out of market. Instead, it will switch over to the cornstarch-based formula.

The J&J statement issued to the media on August 11, 2022 (available at jnj.com) said it was

As part of a worldwide portfolio assessment…commercial decision to transition to an all cornstarch-based baby powder portfolio. As a result of this transition, talc-based JOHNSON’S® Baby Powder will be discontinued globally in 2023.

This transition will help simplify our product offerings, deliver sustainable innovation, and meet the needs of our consumers, customers and evolving global trends.

What do all these words make you think?

You would be saddened to know that the baby powder has reportedly been the cause of ovarian cancer among women and the company therefore, is facing a whopping nearly 38,000 lawsuits in the US.

The petitioners have alleged that the product is contaminated with asbestos which caused ovarian cancer or mesothelioma.

Aren’t we all familiar with J&J baby powder? For decades the ritual has been to dust it on our babies’ bodies, especially bottoms, after a bath or change of diaper, to keep the skin dry and nice-smelling. The superfine and fragrant J&J in its trademark pack has been the trusted name. Haven’t we loved even looking at their advertisements with cute chubby babies?

Women still use it as a deodorant and absorbent on sanitary napkins and that is perhaps where the problems started.

Of course, J&J has refuted all charges saying, “We stand firmly behind the decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirms talc-based JOHNSON’S® Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer."

But according to the British Medical Journal -  In 2018, Reuters and the New York Times reported on internal company documents submitted to the courts that suggested Johnson & Johnson executives had known since 1957 about asbestos contamination but kept that information from regulators and the public. 

J&J withdrew 33000 talc bottles in October 2019 following the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report of discovering chrysotile asbestos in a bottle bought in a pharmacy. But the company claimed that its own tests on that lot showed no trace of asbestos.

For years we have used talc or talcum powder. It is the base for dusting powder used for human skin and in cosmetics, besides for first aid and foot powders. We still use it - to absorb moisture and keep skin dry (I heard a doctor prescribe it for bed sores), absorb oil whether on skin or fabric, shoes or rugs, as a deodorant, to dust on minor cuts or to dry them out to speed up scab-formation. It is dry shampoo for humans and dog hair. We use it on carom boards so that the coins slide well. You can see sportsmen still using it in tangle sports to lessen friction and improve grip.

One of the popular pranks of boys in my class was to sprinkle it on the floor and send others slipping.

Because asbestos, the carcinogenic silicate mineral, is found near talc deposits, “there is the potential for contamination of talc with asbestos,” says the FDA. Used in manufacture of paint, plastics, rubber and roofing material, asbestos has been the cause of cancer of the lungs, ovaries, and other health problems.

I have always loved J&J fragrance, but stopped using any talc on my toddler son, after my sister in law, a pediatrician, warned that the fine particles could irritate the sensitive respiratory system and the eyes of the baby.

Johnson & Johnson switched to cornstarch based baby powder in the US and Canada in 2020. At the time it said the decision was partly due to ‘misinformation’ about cancer risk.

According to WION newschannel, the company has to pay damages to the tune of $ 4.7 billion dollars to 22 women, $ 550 million in compensation, $4.1 billion in punitive damages. It needs more than $ 3.5 billion dollars to fight cases; no wonder then that it has filed a bankruptcy case in a New Jersey court to avoid payment of these crazy high fees for its callousness.

Have you realised that means J&J would keep selling it in the rest of the world till next year? Why? Aren’t the inhabitants of the other six continents vulnerable too when it is amply clear that their talc is a health hazard?

Why has it not caused any health issues among men? Who knows? Maybe the increasing incidence of prostate cancer is the result of men dusting the fragrant powder wholesale in their nether regions! 

Another question why only J&J? What about the other brands of talc? My random guess is that nowhere else is talcum powder used with so much faith and enthusiasm as it is in this sub-continent.

I recall that during a visit to China more than a decade ago, I went around stores looking for talcum powder, asking in sign language and the only talc I could find was a sachet of baby powder.

We in India, use it by the kilos. It is the main antiperspirant on the list of hygiene items in every household. It is still counted as an essential step of toilette whether one uses a deodorant or not. It is not unusual to see white powdered necks reeking of sandal/flowers/musk and what not scents in summer, before they cake in the folds of the skin with sweat.

Haven’t you seen the traditional barbers using clouds of cheap talc with powder puffs on the nape of the necks before their eyes?

Talcum powder is sold by many companies as the superman fighting prickly heat, everyone claiming there’s the most – thanda (cool) in this cruel heat.

I bet most of us do not even glance at the ingredients while buying something. Trying to find a quick solution, enamoured by the scent, advertising and impressed with ‘so and so was talking about it’, we make a purchase. Are we playing with our health?

People have advised use of cornstarch in place of talc because it also absorbs moisture. The hack is to mix it in equal quantity of baking soda to work as a deodorant.

But baking soda can be an abrasive and irritant, so be careful before you try it out. No, I have not tried it, so I happily dissociate myself from this.

There is another point. If talcum powder causes/has caused such serious issues, would we go and sue the companies in court? In the USA filing a suit and fighting a case seem commonplace. But would the Indian legal system, bogged down as it is by the enormous weight of pending cases, be sensitive to the nature of such a case if somebody filed it?

You may recall that Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had, in March this year, told the Lok Sabha that as of March 21, over 4.70 crore (47 million) cases were pending in our courts right from the Supreme Court to the lowest court in the country.

I fear that a case of this nature would not even come up for hearing for the next few decades, so to me the easy and cheaper way out is stop using talc!

Are the days of this beauty on your dressing table over?

                                                                                               -Anupama S Mani