J&J baby shampoo samples fail Indian quality test; company rejects findings

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo samples failed quality tests conducted by the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan, according to a public notice from the state’s drugs watchdog, findings that were rejected by the U.S. drugmaker.

This comes just a few months after Indian authorities launched an investigation into J&J’s Baby Powder to see if it contains cancer-causing asbestos. J&J said in late February it had resumed production of baby talc after government tests found no asbestos in the product.

The Rajasthan Drugs Control Organisation's notice dated March 5said that the samples of J&J's baby shampoo taken from two batches had failed the quality test as they contained "harmful ingredients". It did not elaborate.

A J&J spokeswoman said that the results it received from the watchdog indicated that formaldehyde had been discovered in the samples. Formaldehyde, used in making building materials, is a known carcinogen.

“We do not accept the interim results given to us, which mentioned samples to ‘contain harmful ingredients- identification positive for formaldehyde,’” she told Reuters.