FDA Says No Asbestos Found in Thailand’s Baby Powder

Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has assured consumers no traces of asbestos have been found in any baby powder products sold in Thailand. Saying the FDA began screening for asbestos in these items in 2009.

The assurance came after recalled one lot of the product—about 33 000 bottles of baby powder—after the US Food and Drug Administration found asbestos in a sample bought online.

The discovery has prompted health care giant Johnson & Johnson to recall 33,000 bottles of baby powder in the US.

J&J shares fell more than 6% to close at $127.70.

Thai FDA deputy secretary-general Suphattra Bunserm, however, said no products from that lot were imported into Thailand.

An FDA team has been sent to Johnson & Johnson (Thailand) to collect more samples of baby powder produced locally for testing.

This is the first time the company has recalled its iconic baby powder for possible asbestos contamination. Furthermore its also the first time U.S. regulators have announced a finding of asbestos in the product.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has been linked to deadly mesothelioma, Reuters reports.

The recall is the latest blow to the more than 130-year-old U.S. healthcare conglomerate. Consequently J&J is facing thousands of lawsuits over a variety of products. Including baby powder, opioids, medical devices and the antipsychotic Risperdal.

A jury last week ordered the company to pay $8 billion to a plaintiff in a case claiming J&J downplayed the risks of Risperdal. That award is not expected to stand, the company and legal experts have said.

J&J faces more than 15,000 lawsuits from consumers claiming its talc products, including Johnson’s Baby Powder, caused their cancer.