Stop sale of Johnson’s baby shampoo: Child Rights body asks states

April 27: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked all states to stop the sale of baby shampoo marketed by Johnson & Johnson after finding harmful chemicals in it. The apex child rights body had sought sample test reports of Johnson’s baby shampoo and talcum powder from authorities of five states — Andhra Pradesh (south), Jharkhand (east), Rajasthan (west), Madhya Pradesh (central) and Assam (northeast) — after reports of presence of asbestos and carcinogenic substance in them emerged.

The order to stop sale was issued after test reports of the baby shampoo sample from Rajasthan came in. It is yet to receive the test reports from the other four states. In a letter to chief secretaries of all states, the apex child rights body NCPCR has ordered a ban on the sale of the company’s baby shampoo and remove it from shops’ stocks after test results from Drug Testing Laboratory in Jaipur confirmed the presence of formaldehyde in it. Further, the child rights body has also asked the Drug Control Organisation Rajasthan to send the test report of Johnson & Johnson’s baby talcum powder at the earliest.

The recommendations come as a follow-up to a hearing held on April 15 on the summons issued in the matter to five states – Rajashthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Assam and Andhra Pradesh. The summons were over no response to repeated letters on status of sample tests sought to settle the safety concerns raised regarding use of Johnson & Johnson baby care products -specifically its talcum powder and shampoo.

However, the company has maintained that the J&J baby shampoo is safe and in compliance with regulatory standards.