Johnson & Johnson, as well as numerous other manufacturers of baby powder and talc powder, are facing numerous lawsuits. The lawsuits allege that the talcum powder has led people to be diagnosed with different kinds of cancer, namely ovarian and female reproductive cancers and mesothelioma. The plaintiffs claim that because talc is mined near asbestos and may contain trace amounts of the carcinogen, that the product caused their cancers to develop. While Johnson and Johnson and other manufacturers stringently deny these claims, Health Canada is reporting that baby powder and talcum powder may be linked with cancer, as Global News reports.
Health Canada made the determination that talc, a key ingredient in many products, including baby powder and cosmetics, may be harmful to health.
On Wednesday, the department announced that it was considering enacting measures that would restrict the use of talc in cosmetics, natural health products, and non-prescription drugs.
Getting more specific, the agency is warning that loose talc powders may be harmful to the lungs. The department also said that using loose talc powder or products containing talc in the female genital area may lead to ovarian cancer.
The assessment went further to say that it did not find that ingesting talc in food or drugs was harmful. They also said that using pressed powder products that contain talc-like blush or eyeshadow was likely not harmful.
This assessment was an initial draft and Health Canada is working on a final assessment. If the initial findings are confirmed, the agency will consider restricting the use of talc in products.
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