NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has written to the chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories asking them to stop the sale of Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo in their respective states and also removing the product from the stock of the shops in view of the findings of the sample testing report from the Rajasthan drug control officer.
We had reported on April 1 that Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo has come under the regulatory lens with samples of the product collected in Rajasthan showing presence of “harmful ingredients" that may cause cancer. While seeking an update in the matter from states, NCPCR in its order recommends that the sale of the product may be stopped till further notice.
We reached out to J&J for a reaction but their response was yet to come at the time of going to press.
In taking its decision, the NCPCR took note of a Rajasthan government report and the results quoted of the Government Analyst Drug Testing Laboratory in Jaipur which found samples of J&J baby shampoo “not of standard quality as presence of formaldehyde was confirmed”. The Centre had put the product under scrutiny based on the Rajasthan state drug controller's report, official sources said.
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.
The company has maintained that the shampoo was safe and in compliance with regulatory standards.
.png)
.png)
