What is the first thing that comes in your mind when you hear the word Johnson’s and Johnson’s? The most common answer would be - that mild fragrance which most of us resonate with the baby smell, that white bottle of baby talcum powder which is found in almost every household irrespective of the fact that there is a baby in the house or not.
It is one of the oldest baby care brand, it all started from them. People have been using this brand since ages now and we would not be exaggerating if we say that it shocks us to see reports claiming that Johnson baby powder causes cancer. It was absolutely shocking since most of the generations had grown up using Johnson’s, and so it was difficult to accept the news.
Most of us have grown up on Johnson and Johnson. The best part about using Johnson’s for the baby is that even the grandmother would know what brand one is talking about. Such is the legacy they have built over the years. From their talc to their soap, to their pink coloured lotion, to their white coloured cream every Johnson’s baby product has a story to be told by grannies in every household and their new products are making more memories and creating more stories to be told to future generations. And all this has not happened without a reason; Johnson & Johnson has been here since generations but still strives to improve and innovate to create an experience worth remembering fondly.
Can a company which has been here for more than 130 years and is still striving to improve itself continuously go wrong in something as big as cancer-causing ingredients in one of its signature products? Can a company which had a first aid cream as its first few launched products more than 60 years back neglect the safety of its consumers? Well, the answer is NO. Because a company which is time and again improvising its product to ensure that they use only purposeful ingredients is doing so because they have the best interest of their consumer in its mind. Because a company which very transparently hands out the list of all the ingredients that goes into their products won’t do so if they had something to hide.
Johnsons and Johnsons have never shied away from accepting the fact that they are coming up with a better version of themselves. By conducting surveys, speaking to real-time mums, gathering market data and feedback from other sources Johnsons & Johnsons have continuously kept themselves abreast with what is latest and that precisely is the reason why in spite of all the news, the trust, faith and love for the brand remains undeterred and constant. Moms across the world use Johnson & Johnson and widely recommend to their friends and families too.
But the question is where did it all come from? It all started from a news piece claiming that Johnson and Johnson had to pay a huge amount to claimants who claimed that Johnson baby powder causes cancer.
Is it possible that a product which has been around since the longest of the time might have ingredients causing cancer? No, we don’t think so and it is only an added proof that Times Of India has confirmed in its report that government-sanctioned testing reaffirmed that the product does not contain asbestos.
Johnson and Johnson offers not only one but many variants of their talcum powder. They also have a talcum powder made up of cornstarch; each talc is made to suit a different body type and a different climate type and none of them has any cancer-causing agent. Many international agencies and organisations doing research around cancer have also said that talc-based powders are not carcinogenic.
In December last year, the DCGI had ordered Johnson & Johnson to stop using raw material sourced from their Mulund plant and Baddi unit till further directions and the company diligently cooperated with the regulators by providing all the necessary information, sources and samples of processed talc for testing. Why would they stand on their stance so strongly had they known any foul? There has been no link, no proof found which would lead to a chain between Johnson and Johnson powder and cancer.
The trust has strengthened and so has the love for the brand which is a household name across the country. Time and again, multiple allegations have been proven wrong against Johnson & Johnson, and the brand has never shied away from being open and transparent about it.
So next time you are applying the Johnson and Johnson baby talc to your baby or yourself, you know the drill. Turn the bottle, read the instructions to apply and warnings carefully and use your favourite talc in the best possible way for a fragrance defining childhood for your child.
