J&J paid for studies to dispel data linking talc to cancer, respiratory disease

Nearly 50 years ago, Johnson & Johnson became aware that a growing number of talc miners were more likely to be diagnosed with lung disease and cancer, suggesting a potential safety risk to consumers who used talcum powder products. The company actively worked to counter the data, according to a Reuters investigation. Johnson & Johnson’s applied research director, in a “strictly confidential” memo addressing studies that questioned the safety of talc, wrote to managers of the company’s signature talc-containing product – Johnson’s Baby Powder – its strategic plan: “we minimize the risk of possible self-generation of scientific data which may ... Read More