Why Africa’s Covid vax plant failed to take off
Last year, South African drug maker Aspen Pharmacare signed a deal with US drug maker Johnson & Johnson to produce the Covid vaccine.
Johnson & Johnson on Friday announced it was recalling a batch of 33,000 units of its baby powder in the United States after the U.S. health regulators discovered a considerable amount of cancer-causing chrysotile asbestos purchased online.
Following the event, J&J shares dropped over 6 per cent to close at $127.70.
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The withdrawal of the product comes at a time when the company is embroiled in several controversial lawsuits over a variety of its products including baby powder, medical devices and others.
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J&J already faces over 15,000 lawsuits from consumers claiming their baby talc caused ovarian cancer. However, the 130-year-old brand has consistently denied all the claims made against them.
The company also announced that it had launched an investigation into the matter, and they were working with the FDA to determine the integrity of the samples and the validity of the test results. It further noted that it was not aware whether the baby power bottle was sealed or the product was authentic or not.
As per the World Health Organisation, exposure to chrysotile asbestos, a common type of asbestos, can cause various forms of cancer, including lung, larynx, ovarian and mesothelioma.
(With input from agencies)
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