By: Ajit Telang

Ajit Telang — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 07:25:42 +0000

I accessed this site little late but wish to inform mothers about J&J baby products that are contaminated with one more deadly carcinogenic contaminants and despite these cancer cuasing ingredients , J&J’s Baby products are claimed to be mild and clinically proven. Hope the deadly news below reaches maximum number of mothers and they use their discretion while buying these products.
Above news mentions the company will reformulate its baby products with safer ingredients by the end of 2013”
By this the company agrees that current products are without safe ingredients & that mothers “cannot” have peace of mind till 2013 as prior to this date all the babies will be subjected to products with carcinogenic Formaldehyde.
 If this is so, the first thing company has to do is to “remove” all the false claims like “Mild and clinically proven” on their products (USFDA should be made to take lead to make it happen) immediately and mothers should use their discretion to buy these cancer causing products.
(II) J&J in their website (launched to survive backlash on Formaldehyde) “safetyandcarecommitment.com/safety-promise” mentions 1) In our laboratories, we go well beyond basic screening to ensure that we meet or exceed government regulatory standards for trace materials and ingredients & 2) Independent scientists and clinicians test formulations for irritation, sensitivity, interactions with sunlight, and other safety considerations.
The claims made in above website are totally contradictory to what is mentioned below in the China state run agency news on 7th Nov 2011 :
“China said Johnson & Johnson should “practise morality”, a week after the U.S. consumer and healthcare group was accused of continuing to sell baby shampoo with a possible cancer-causing ingredient.
“Abiding by laws and regulations is the minimum compliance, “said a signed commentary on state-run news agency Xinhua, adding: “Responsible businesses should have ‘moral blood’ flowing in their veins.
“Enterprises should fulfil their social responsibilities, and are not only bound to obey laws and regulations but must also practise morality and self-discipline.” Such commentaries are tantamount to official China government positions.
 Can Susan Nettesheim explain us above China commentary if J&J Baby care products exceed government regulatory standards and if Baby care product formulations are tested by the independent clinicians as mentioned in their site? Is this the corporate social responsibility?
(III) Now I wish to narrate here a covertly conducted process by J&J in India and probably maybe also by J&J China since J&J India blindly copies what is practiced by J&J China and top J&J Managers mention about it in support of this greatest crime against humanity.
J&J India have the practice to conduct Ethylene Oxide (a known carcinogen) sterilization of Baby products which fail to meet microbial standards set by Quality Control. In other words if the finished baby care product like Baby Lotion or Baby Powder is found to be having high microbial contents and if it has to be rejected , then it is then salvaged by archaic process of Ethylene Oxide ( ETO) sterilization which eliminates microbes. However highly carcinogenic residue of ETO is left trapped inside the container due to improper process conditions. This is a covert, clandestine operation in which India FDA is not informed and FDA license is not obtained for this process. Recently 15 batches of Baby talcum Powder (165 thousand containers) were released to India market clandestinely. Please note that very select few came to know about this covert operation for the first time which is done frequently. ETO sterilization was done at third party sterilization services which did not have certified sterilizer, did not have FDA license and did not have any facility to test the carcinogenic residual ETO. J&J India “did not test” residual ETO before releasing the batches to market. The outdated process at the third party guaranteed “193 times” higher residual ETO inside the container than the minimum permissible level of “1 ppm” recommended by OSHA. Please note that this minimum permissible level of 1 ppm is for “adults”. It is reported that Baby is 100 times more sensitive to carcinogen than adults. This makes the residual contents 193,00 times higher than acceptable for babies. This assured that all the 165 thousand babies (and their mothers also) may have contracted by now or will soon contract the dreaded disease which I don’t want to mention. (God save these unfortunate mothers).
Why J&J dared to do this to babies? Probably because 1) J&J India grew confident over years as they succeeded in keeping these covert operation under cover 2) Probably over years the perpetrators were confident to “manage” local FDA or Indian ministers 3) they knew that weak regulators ,outdated Indian laws and under pressure judiciary system will never be able to book the criminals as court cases take years to come for hearing 4) J&J China practice may have further bolstered their confidence & 5) J&J maybe rewarding the personnel taking risks very handsomely . Had this known to American citizen he would have brought this company on their knees putting the criminals behind bar due to strong American judiciary system. This crime also reminds me of Hitler’s famous gas chamber.
However, the global American or European travellers may have used Indian Baby care products for their babies or it is quite likely that these Carcinogenic products may have reached Europe or USA by some illegal/ legal route from India. So don’t think that only Indian babies are at risk.
So this incidence is more dangerous than Bhopal gas (methyl isocyanate / MIC gas) tragedy in India in which 20,000 people died and Union Carbide Company paid peanuts to the people, their CEO/Managers got away almost scot free and successfully fled the country with the help of Indian ministers in power at that time. However in this Carcinogenic Baby powder case mothers will never ever dream to attribute the deadly disease of cancer to Baby talcum powder which is highly advertised and claimed as “mild and clinically proven”. Secondly in Bhopal case people died immediately, here in this case unfortunate babies will suffer from ghastly disease of Cancer for god only know how many years.
Persons interested to know the details should contact Mumbai FDA commissioner Mr Mahesh Zagade in India who has been recently appraised of this incidence. His contact number is 91-22-26590548.If one wishes to see hard documents you can write to me throgh this blog.
Again Mothers should take note of this, be aware of such things, challenge the wrong claims and finally use discretion while buying J&J Baby care products.

Comments on: Behind the Label: Johnson’s Baby Shampoo

By: Ajit Telang