Johnson & Johnson announces recall after FDA test confirms asbestos in batch of baby powder

Legal teams pursuing numerous lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson on behalf of ovarian cancer victims alleging that asbestos in the manufacturer's baby powder made them sick are saying that J&J's announcement Friday of a voluntary recall of the product should help prove their claims.

Johnson’s Baby Powder Lot #22318RB tested positive for asbestos, prompting the voluntary recall. The sampling was conducted during the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ongoing survey of testing talc-containing cosmetics for asbestos.

"The recall is a stunning admission by Johnson & Johnson after years of denial about the cancer risks from baby powder," attorney Ted Meadows, who leads the Beasley Allen law firm's talcum powder ovarian cancer litigation, said in a press release. "The FDA's tests confirm the presence of cancer-causing asbestos, and J&J's internal documents show the company has known about the dangers of asbestos and harmful talc fibers for many years. Had J&J acted responsibly and removed its baby powder from the market in the 1970s, the lives of thousands of women would have been saved."

The FDA has also issued an advisory to consumers to cease using the specific batch of the product.