J&J to stop selling talc-based baby powder

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has planned to stop making and selling its talc-based baby powder around the world from next year.

The announcement came on Thursday.

The move came amid continued legal battles and years after the company discontinued the product in the US and Canada.

The health conglomerate, which maintains the product is safe, has for almost a decade faced lawsuits accusing it of hiding cancer risks tied its talc-based baby powder.

J&J faces tens of thousands of lawsuits from women who allege its talcum powder contained asbestos and caused them to develop ovarian cancer.

But the company reiterated its view that decades of independent research shows the product is safe to use.

“As part of a worldwide portfolio assessment, we have made the commercial decision to transition to an all cornstarch-based baby powder portfolio,” it said in a statement.

The firm added that cornstarch-based baby powder is already sold in countries around the world.