Healthcare products giant Johnson & Johnson Company made an announcement to discontinue selling talc-based baby powder globally from 2023 onwards.

Johnson & Johnson Company in a statement said, “As part of a worldwide portfolio assessment, we have made the commercial decision to transition to an all cornstarch-based baby powder portfolio. As a result of this transition, talc-based Johnson's Baby Powder will be discontinued globally in 2023.”

Earlier, the product was discontinued in the United States and Canada in the year 2020 following lawsuits over its safety standards.

The announcement of discontinuing globally came after facing thousands of lawsuits across countries alleging the product contains asbestos which can cause cancer. Many of them even developed serious health issues including ovarian cancer.

However, Johnson & Johnson Company said the product is safe, “Our position on the safety of our cosmetic talc remains unchanged. We stand firmly behind the decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirms talc-based Johnson's Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.”

“We continuously evaluate and optimize our portfolio to best position the business for long-term growth. This transition will help simplify our product offerings, deliver sustainable innovation, and meet the needs of our consumers, customers and evolving global trends,” the company added by saying the cornstarch-based baby powder is already sold in many countries around the world, and soon the product will be available globally.