Many Vietnamese customers have been increasingly worried about the safety of baby powder made by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) following a recent court ruling holding the company responsible for the cancer death of a woman in the United States.

Several parents have expressed concern that their children’s health might be affected by the baby care products and decided to stop using them until further information is released.

Ngoc Tinh, a mother of two small children in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, said that she had bought many products from the company for her kids, including baby powder, shampoo, baby oil and others, adding that she herself had also used several shower gel products made by the manufacturer.

Ever since foreign media reported that products of J&J contain talcum powder, considered a potential cancer-causing substance, Tinh said that she has stopped using the company’s products.

These goods have not only been purchased for personal use but also as gifts for family members and friends on special occasions, she added.

“I hope the fatal case of the woman in the United States is only due to long-term use. Some side effects might have been intentionally hidden by the manufacturer,” Thanh Mai, who is living in Binh Thanh District, said.

Despite the recent incident and concern of domestic consumers, the baby powder products are still being sold at shops and supermarkets across the country, according to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters.

Many buyers have raised questions over the safety and quality of such products before making a purchase, an employee of the Big C supermarket chain in Phu Nhuan District stated, adding that there has not been any official announcement from the manufacturer.

Local retailers and distributors have said that they are waiting for authorities’ decision on whether to continue or cease the sale of J&J merchandise.

The products remain available to Vietnamese customers as the company has submitted all legitimate documents proving that its goods meet all quality standards, Ho Quoc Nguyen, an official from Big C, explained.

A representative of J&J said in a letter sent to the company’s distributors that its baby care products are completely safe as they undergo strict and thorough inspection and quality assurance, and continue to be presented to markets.

An official announcement regarding the sale of products made by J&J is expected to be released on Monday, according to the Ministry of Health.

The ministry said that it would review all the research conducted by the Union for International Cancer Control and discuss with the manufacturer as well as experts in chemistry and pharmacy to reach a final conclusion.

J&J was ordered by a Missouri state jury in the U.S. to pay US$72 million, including $10 million of actual damages and $62 million of punitive damages, to the family of Jacqueline Fox, whose death from ovarian cancer was linked to her use of the company's talc-based products for several decades, according to Reuters.

Fox, who lived in Alabama, claimed she used the company’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for feminine hygiene for more than 35 years before being diagnosed three years ago with ovarian cancer. She died in October 2015 at age 62.

The company now faces claims that it failed for decades to warn consumers that its talc-based products could cause cancer, the British news agency reported, adding that about 1,000 cases have been filed in Missouri state court and another 200 in New Jersey.

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