Stop Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo sale: Child rights body to states

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.
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.
J&J spokesperson said, "We did not accept the interim results of the government analyst that were based on unknown and unspecified methods and have contested these interim test results. We will await the results and conclusions of the re-testing process at the Central Drugs Laboratory. We are not aware of any directions from NCPCR. It must be noted that any such directions, under the law, can only be issued under certain prescribed conditions. "
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 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.
TOI 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. The Centre has put the product under scrutiny based on the Rajasthan state drug controller's report, official sources said.
The company has maintained that the shampoo was safe and in compliance with regulatory standards.