Consumers in Oman are concerned following the news of Johnson&Johnson being asked to pay US$72mn in damages to the family of a US woman whose death from cancer was linked to talc-based products by the company. The judgment was passed by a Missouri court.
Maira Ali Ahmed, a mother of three, said she has been using Johnson&Johnson products for her children. “I am concerned now. I am going to stop using the products till there is a clear explanation stating that these products don’t cause cancer,” she said.
According to reports, Johnson&Johnson faces claims that in an effort to boost sales, it failed for decades to warn consumers that its talc-based products could cause cancer. About 1,200 similar cases are pending, primarily in Missouri and New Jersey state courts.
Zahra Maqbool, another Oman resident, said she has used the products every day on her children. “I am scared now. The company should take responsibility of giving an explanation to its consumers, backed with research and evidence to prove its products are safe.”
For Sreeja P, a teacher and mother of two, association with the brand goes back decades. “It had been a constant at home. The news must be true as 1,200 people have filed cases against the company. Shops in Oman must ban the products till proper tests are carried out to prove that they are safe.”
Ayesha Shaikh, a mother-to-be also said that the development is of a bigger concern because most products from Johnson& Johnson are for babies.
“The brand has been used by my family for decades. I still use its baby powder and am now very worried by the news.”
Carol Goodrich, global media relations, Johnson&Johnson Consumer, issued a statement denying the allegations.
The statement read, “The talc used in all our global products is carefully selected and meets the highest quality, purity and compliance standards.
“The recent US verdict goes against decades of sound science proving the safety of talc as a cosmetic ingredient in multiple products, and while we sympathise with the family of the plaintiff, we strongly disagree with the outcome.
Ovarian cancer is a complex disease with no known cause and the US Food and Drug Administration, National Cancer Institute and Cosmetic Ingredient Review Committee have all concluded that there is insufficient evidence linking talc to ovarian cancer.”
Source: MuscatDaily