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Health Reporter
The import, distribution and sale of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) baby powder has been banned by the Ministry of Health and Child Care as it contains a type of asbestos fibre in the talc, which is considered a cancer risk.
Manufacturers of baby power and talcuum powder have been moving away from mineral talcs as an ingredient, substituting cornstarch, a highly-refined material based on maize, as countries ban the powders containing mineral talc.
J&J, a United States healthcare products manufacturer, withdrew its talc-based baby powder from sale in the US and Canada in 2020 after US regulators detected carcinogenic chrysotile fibres – a type of asbestos – in the product.
Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care Dr Jasper Chimedza recently said the brand was still popular in South Africa as consumers seemed to be unaware of its potential risk, hence the possibility of it finding its way onto the Zimbabwean market given the trade between the two countries.
“Ministry of Health and Child Care is banning the importation and distribution and sale of Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder containing the talc ingredient with immediate effect,” he said.
“Environmental health officers and technicians are advised to remove all Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder containing the talc ingredient from the market.
“Inspectors are advised to document their findings and the products must be destroyed or recalled to the manufacturers.”
Other countries such as Tanzania have already banned the import, distribution and sale of the baby powder.
J&j has assumed the liability to pay US$8,9 billion to the medical industry in compensation over allegations that the particular formulation baby powder was causing cancer.
Last year, the company said it was moving to the cornstarch-based version of the baby powder around the world, but maintained that the talc-based baby powder did not cause cancer. According to experts, asbestos exposure occurs after repeated use of asbestos-contaminated products such as talc and older construction materials.
Asbestos is the only carcinogen proven to cause mesothelioma, an aggressive and deadly form of cancer that occurs in the thin layer of tissue that covers the majority of the internal organs (mesothelium).
Treatments for the cancer are available, but for many people with mesothelioma, a cure is not possible.
The cancer begins in the tissue mesothelium that lines the lungs, heart, stomach, and other organs. This causes a painful cough, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, abdominal pain and weight loss.
Last year, the Government also recalled South African produced Purity Essentials Baby Powder products after traces of the cancer-causing asbestos were detected.
Tiger Brands said the recall was a precautionary measure after trace levels of asbestos had been detected in test samples from a batch of pharmaceutical-grade talc powder used as raw material in the production of finished powder products.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter