DCGI restricts J&J to use talc raw material for production till further orders

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Thursday has ordered Johnson and Johnson not to use talc raw material from its two units in India for production till further direction.

As of now, DCGA's instruction comes for J&J's Mulund plant in Mumbai and Baddi unit in Himachal Pradesh. 

On Wednesday, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) had collected samples and testing materials of Johnson and Johnson's baby powder from both the plants after a report revealed that the product allegedly contains cancer-causing asbestos.

According to a sources from CDSCO, J&J is not testing all batches of talc raw material for absence of the substance.

A spokesperson for J&J however had on Wednesday said that FDA and CDSCO had earlier confirmed that their products comply with the Indian standards and are free of asbestos.

"It is important to understand that the safety of cosmetic talc is based on a long history of safe use and decades of research and clinical evidence by independent researchers and scientific review boards across the world," the spokesperson said.-IANS