Sales of Johnson's baby powder halted in U.S., Canada

(HealthDay)—Lawsuits claiming that talc-based Johnson's Baby Powder has caused cancer have led to a plunge in sales in the United States and Canada, so Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday it is ending sales of the product in those two countries.

The company said the talc-based powder is safe and will still be sold in other countries, the Associated Press reported.

About 19,400 lawsuits alleging that J&J's talcum powder caused ovarian cancer or mesothelioma have been launched against the company.

To date, J&J has won 12 cases and lost 15, and there have been seven mistrials. All of the lost cases have either been overturned on appeal or are still being appealed, the AP reported.