Johnson & Johnson (J&J) will stop making and selling talc-based baby powder worldwide starting next year The announcement comes more than two years after the healthcare giant stopped selling the product in the United States. The move could be a strategic move as J&J faces tens of thousands of lawsuits from women who claim the talc contains asbestos and caused ovarian cancer but the company reiterated that decades of independent research show the product is safe to use.

"Following a comprehensive portfolio review, we have made the commercial decision to transition to a corn starch-only baby powder portfolio," the company said in a statement The corn starch-based baby powder is already sold worldwide, the company added. At the same time, J&J reiterated its position that its baby powder is safe to use: "Our position on the safety of our cosmetic powder remains unchanged."

"We strongly support decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirm Johnson's talcum powder is safe, asbestos-free and cancer-free," the statement said.

In 2020 J&J said it would stop selling its talcum powder in the United States and Canada because of a drop in demand due to what it called "misinformation" about the product's safety following a spate of lawsuits. At the time, the company said it would continue to sell the baby powder in the UK and globally. The company is facing lawsuits from consumers and their loved ones alleging that J&J's talc-based products caused cancer due to asbestos contamination.

Talc is mined from the ground and found in deposits near asbestos, a substance known to cause cancer in 2018 a Reuters investigation found that J&J had known for decades that its talc-based products contained asbestos. Reuters said internal company documents, witness statements and other evidence showed that since at least 1971 until the early 2000s, tests of J&J's raw talc and finished powder were sometimes positive for trace amounts of asbestos in response to courtroom evidence of asbestos contamination, media reports and US lawmakers, the company has repeatedly denied the allegations.

In October, J&J established a subsidiary called LTL Management and transferred its claims to it He later declared bankruptcy and stayed the ongoing litigation. Before filing for bankruptcy, the company incurred $3.5 billion in court and settlement costs, including one in which 22 women received more than $2 billion in judgments. In April, a shareholder proposal calling for a halt to global sales of talc failed.

Johnson's baby powder has been on sale for almost 130 years and has become a symbol of the company's family image Baby powder is used to prevent diaper rash and for cosmetic purposes, as well as a dry shampoo.

 

Question

1. Describe TWO (2) ethical issues in the above article.

 

2. The Johnson and Johnson Company has a contractual and moral obligation to ensure product safety for consumers However, according to the article, there are signs that she failed to meet this obligation, which companies should implement to meet their obligations as manufacturers and to respect the right of consumers to be treated as free and equal human beings. Please explain the three practices with examples.

 

3. Companies like Johnson & Johnson are in a better position because they have product knowledge and consumers need to rely on for accurate information about product safety, usage and efficacy. In view of this situation, businesses are obliged to take special care to ensure that the products they offer do not harm the interests of their consumers. Discuss what Johnson & Johnson can do in design, manufacturing and marketing to ensure the above goals are met.

 

4."In 2020, J&J announced it would stop selling talc baby powder in the U.S. and Canada after a series of so-called 'misinformation' about the safety of its talc baby powder," the article said., declined. At the time, the company said it would continue to sell talc-based baby powder in the UK and elsewhere.

Please explain whether Johnson & Johnson's corporate decision to continue to sell talc-based baby powder in another region is morally right or wrong in terms of 'utilitarianism' and 'rights and responsibilities'.