Johnson & Johnson (J&J) will cease manufacturing and marketing its talc-based baby powder worldwide beginning in 2019.

The announcement was made more than two years after the healthcare giant stopped selling the medicine in the United States.

Tens of thousands of women have filed lawsuits alleging that J&J’s talcum powder contains asbestos and caused them to develop ovarian cancer.

However, the corporation reiterated that decades of independent studies demonstrate the product’s safety.

As part of a global portfolio evaluation, we have made the business decision to switch to a cornstarch-based baby powder product,” the company stated in a statement.

The company said that cornstarch-based baby powder is already available in international markets.

Gleichzeitig reaffirmed J&J’s claim that its baby powder is safe: “Our position regarding the safety of our cosmetic talc remains unaltered.”

We stand by the decades of independent scientific investigation by medical professionals around the world that proves Johnson’s baby powder made with talc is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer,” the statement stated.

J&J said that it would cease selling its talc baby powder in the United States and Canada in 2020, citing a decline in demand due to “misinformation” about the product’s safety in the wake of several court proceedings.

The company stated at the time that it will continue selling its talc-based baby powder in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

Asbestos contamination of J&J’s talc goods allegedly caused cancer in consumers and their heirs, who have filed claims against the business.

Talc is extracted from the earth and is found in seams adjacent to asbestos, which is a recognized carcinogen.

According to an investigation conducted by Reuters in 2018, J&J was aware of the news of asbestos in their talc products for decades.

According to Reuters, internal corporate documents, trial testimony, and other evidence demonstrated that J&J’s raw talc and finished powders occasionally included trace levels of asbestos from at least 1971 through the early 2000s.

In response to asbestos contamination evidence given in courtrooms, media reports, and to US lawmakers, the company has disputed the charges on multiple occasions.

In October, J&J established LTL Management as a subsidiary and assigned its talc claims to it. It subsequently filed for bankruptcy, which halted the ongoing lawsuits.

Before filing for bankruptcy, the corporation was facing costs from $3.5bn (£2.87bn) in judgments and settlements, including one in which 22 women were awarded more than $2 billion in damages.

In April, a shareholder motion to cease global sales of talc baby powder was rejected.

Since it has been offered for nearly 130 years, Johnson’s Baby Powder has become a symbol of the company’s family-friendly reputation.

Baby powder is used to treat diaper rash as well as for cosmetic purposes, such as dry shampoo.