Cosmetic Talc Litigation Media Coverage July 26, 2016

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APAC Coverage

1. Maharashtra govt tests 14 talcum powder brands, including J&J

   Jul 26, 2016 | Money Control (CNBC-TV)

   Maharashtra government had collected samples of 14 talcum powder brands, including Johnson & Johnson baby powder, as a "precautionary measure" to ensure that nobody gets cancer through cosmetics.
2. FDA empowered to curb milk adulteration in Maharashtra

   Jul 26, 2016 | The Free Press Journal

   ....In reply to another question, the minister said that the checks conducted on Jhonson and Jhonson’s products were part of precautionary measures.

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APAC Coverage

1. Maharashtra govt tests 14 talcum powder brands, including J&J

   Jul 26, 2016 | Money Control (CNBC-TV)

   Maharashtra government had collected samples of 14 talcum powder brands, including Johnson & Johnson baby powder, as a "precautionary measure" to ensure that nobody gets cancer through cosmetics. The action comes in wake of a Missouri court verdict directing J&J to pay damages to kin of a woman who died of ovarian cancer. "The tests were conducted as precaution, to ensure nobody gets cancer through use of cosmetics," the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Girish Bapat told Legislative Assembly during question hour today. He was replying to a query by Amin Patel (Congress) and Sardar Tarasinh (BJP) in the Lower House. In March, following a Missouri court verdict directing the healthcare products major Johnson & Johnson to pay damages to the family of the 62-year-old woman, Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had collected samples of 14 other talcum powder brands, including Johnson & Johnson baby powder, and sent them for testing to laboratory to reaffirm if they meet the standards. In the past, the Maharashtra FDA had taken action against Johnson & Johnson twice. In 2005, FDA had sent a notice to the company accusing it of selling nine of its products as specially meant for babies without proper clearances and asked them to remove the word 'baby'. State government has also announced to approach the Centre for amendment in the laws for the stricter punishment and making the milk adulteration a non-bailable offence, and has decided to frame rules to curb the menace. In reply to another query on milk adulteration, Bapat admitted that milk adulteration has been a dangerous menace and the government has written to Centre for changes in the existing laws. "We had booked the culprits involved in adulteration under sections 283 and 328 of IPC, making the offence non-bailable, but the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court struck down the application," the minister said. "We have challenged the ruling in the Supreme Court. If amended by the Centre, the enforcement may get a boost," he added. Bapat said flying squads were deputed regularly across the city to conduct the raids and the action has helped the government in restricting the milk adulteration. He said the government has also directed the officials at the Octroi entry posts to check 539 (milk) tankers entering the city everyday. "The department had seized the adulterated (milk) stock worth Rs 4.17 lakh and levied the penalty of Rs 11 lakh for the adulterated supply last year," Bapat said. Bapat said that without waiting for the response from the Centre, the government has decided to frame its own rules for action against adulteration. The question about the adulteration was raised by Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Ashish Shelar and Ajit Pawar. 
   
   http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/maharashtra-govt-tests-14-talcum-powder-brands-including-jj_7109961.html?utm_source=ref_article

   
   

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2. FDA empowered to curb milk adulteration in Maharashtra

   Jul 26, 2016 | The Free Press Journal

   The flying squads of the food and drug administration (FDA) are empowered enough to curb milk adulteration and the State government is also working on forming more stringent rules and regulation in this regard, minister for food and civil supplies Girish Bapat informed the Legislative Assembly here on Monday.

   Replying to questions regarding recent raids conducted at a milk collection centre at Pandharpur and the chemicals seized thereof, the minister made it clear that the State government has a clear stand over adulteration of milk and has even been fighting case in the supreme court to be able to act against accused in such cases under article 328 of Indian penal code i.e. to classify such an offence as ‘non bailable’.

   Last year, the administration tested 1,253 specimens of milk for adulteration of which 833 passed the tests and in 93 cases reports are awaited.

   In 48 raids conducted by the flying squad 55 persons were arrested and in all surprise checks were conducted on 539 milk tankers, the minister informed the house.

   Former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said that the previous government in the state had brought in a new harsher legislation to curb adulterations which is pending with the President and urged the State government to follow the issue with the President’s office.

   While, leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that the FDA is devoid of adequate staff and demanded that adequate human resources be made available to the department as early as possible to be able to effectively contain the problem.

   Replying to the supplementary questions Bapat said that though the Union Government already has legislation in place to tackle the issue, the centre has asked the states to form their own rules and regulations that would suit the local conditions so that the legislation can be effectively implemented and the State government has formed a committee under FDA commissioner to form rules and regulations in this regard.

   While elaborating on the issue of human resources, the minister said that the flying squads of the FDA have been adequately empowered and are doing good job in direction of curbing the adulterations. The squads are also getting good cooperation even from the police department, he added.

   The minister also made it clear that the issue regarding inclusion of dairy development officials in the squad too is under consideration and would be upon soon.

   In reply to another question, the minister said that the checks conducted on Jhonson and Jhonson’s products were part of precautionary measures.

   FDA collected 14 specimens from Mumbai and Thane region at the end of March 2016 of which the reports have been received for 11 specimens. Johnson and Johnson’s Baby powder was found to comply to all the standards and hence no further action was taken in this regard, he said.

   http://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/fda-empowered-to-curb-milk-adulteration-in-maharashtra/896808
   

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