Personal care conglomerate Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has resumed production of its Baby Powder in Indian plants after regulators found no proof of asbestos contamination.
The Indian government launched an investigation into J&J after Reuters first reported in December that the company knew since the 1970s that cancer-causing asbestos could be found in the product.
“Johnson & Johnson has resumed production of its Johnson’s Baby Powder at plants in Baddi and Mulund, India, after government sanctioned testing reaffirmed that the product does not contain asbestos,” J&J told Reuters.
Earlier this month US authorities announced an investigation into the Baby Powder in connection to the talc containing asbestos.
In January, Sri Lanka halted all imports of the product into the country.
The beauty giant is facing lawsuits from thousands of customers, who say use of the company’s Baby Powder talc products caused cancer.
It has been reported that J&J will face three times more legal actions than 2018 connected to the powder.
In July, a US jury ordered J&J to pay US$4.69bn to 22 women who blamed the product for causing their ovarian cancer. The verdict helped wipe $45bn off J&J’s market value.
Asbestos is a group of six materials made of microscopic fibres, which can caused damage to the lungs if inhaled.
