Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Asbestos Scare Prompts Recall

Johnson & Johnson is recalling a single lot of its baby powder in the United States after a test by the Food and Drug Administration found a bottle of the product contained asbestos, the company said in a news release.

The recall is limited to batch of the product with the lot number "22318RB." A company spokesman told Patch a single lot contains approximately 33,000 bottles. The spokesman added the company is still gathering information and investigating whether the recall applies nationwide or to a certain number of states.

According to the company, the FDA test found sub-trace levels of asbestos in samples from a bottle that was bought online.

Johnson & Johnson said it's working with the FDA to determine the integrity of the tested sample and the validity of the test results. So far, the company said it hasn't determined whether cross-contamination led to a false positive, whether the sample was taken from a bottle with an intact seal or whether the sample was prepared in a controlled environment. Johnson & Johnson also said it doesn't know if the powder used in the test was authentic or counterfeit.

The company also added that years of testing its powder has shown there has been no asbestos in the product prior to the recall.

The recall comes as Johnson & Johnson fights thousands of lawsuits in which plaintiffs claim its iconic baby powder was contaminated with asbestos and that it caused ovarian cancer or another rare cancer. At multiple trials, Johnson & Johnson experts have testified asbestos hasn't been detected in the talc in its baby powder in many tests over 40 years.

Anyone who owns a bottle that came from the recalled lot is being asked to not use the product. Consumers can also call the company at 866-565-2229 or contact it online.

Reporting and writing from The Associated Press was used in this report.