Document 917R2GmjbMg2XGam2EygLx4zp

Mic h a e l F . Ma hx el Waykb K, H ill Waltes E . Bybbley Law Oe f ic e s Markel , Hil l 6c B yerley Commonw ealth B uild in g 165 K St e e e t , N .W . W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . 20000 March 3 1, 1976 (aoa) baa - B5so Mr. F r e d e r ic k F . Roes oh V ice P resid en t W hittaker, C lark & D a n ie ls, In c, 1000 C oolidge S tre e t S o u th P l a i n f i e l d , New J e r s e y 0 7 0 8 0 Dear Fred: For your in form ation and f i l e s , I e n c lo se h erew ith a Xerox copy o f th e b r ie f s to r y w hich appeared in th e March 29 i s s u e o f F-D-C R ep o rts co n cern in g th e Mt. S in a i ta lc statem ent. B est w ish es, S in cerely yours, Wayne K, H i l l WKH/rc c c : Mr. G eorge J . D ip p o ld E nclosure PLAINTIFFS EXHIBIT WCD-207 LoGiudice/WCD/0400 TRADE & GOVT. MEMOS BABY T A LC IS A U S E FU L & S A F E PRODUCT Mt. Sinai Medical Center's Pediatrics Dept, de- j dares in a formal statement issued "to correct f any misinterpretation or misimpressions" that may have been created by media reports on research con-1 ducted at the Center. The statement confirms' the earlier view press released by the Cosmetic, Toiletry |j & Fragrance Assn. (CTFA) --("The Pink Sheet" March 22, p, T&G-l). /`Hie samples used iii-the'MiL ^ ' Sinai study," statement by Medical Center president, Dr. Thomas C. Chalmers, said "had been'purchased more than three years ago, a fact that was not mentioned in the media reports." H " Recently data from research carried out in the Mt. Sinai Medical Center for th last if '"1 four years on the asbestos content of some talcum powders was cited in the press'be- ^ ,i - fore it had heen published in a scientific journal," the Medical Center's statement said. " The i.'- " original purpose of this research was to develop effective techniques for measuring tlie p're- sence of asbestos in talc. The problem has practical implications because prolonged1ex- \iV posure to certain forms of asbestos'can cause cancer. . . . "V'^V'Y V 11 "In the process of developing these new methods, the samples actually sedhadben ' purchased more than three years ago. . .Tire discovery of asbestos in'some talcum " '1 powders by the Mt. Sinai investigators was reported to FDA at that time,' and undoiibt- ' edly stimulated some mfrs, to change their sources of talc, so that recent analyses by the FDA have not revealed appreciable amounts of asbestos in any samples.'''' ' 1 ` ' '' ' . ' ySh' '' .." ' . .. ,, ` ... r. ' '...."v-;.. " Any implication in the news stories that most of the talcum powder currently; ' on the market contains asbestos is not borne out by the most recent data from the FDA, although continuing surveillance is indicated." ^ .kii . " Although the news media specifically emphasized the dangers of talcum pow; , , ... . ' drs advertised for babies, the only baby powder tested that was reported to - . show asbestos represents less than 1% of the market, and that sample was five . ,, / ' years old, The most commonly used baby talc has been consistently free of " . asbestos." ' ' - - V-X ' - >" -0 - : MORTON-NORWICH SA LE OF FRENCH-BASED ORLANE COSMETIC ' businesses to Norton ' . 'r . .... . Simon' for' cash repre- ' sents inevitable --and long time coming --development for. M-N. "Free classified ad!' on the availability of M-N's cosmetics'business ran in "Hie Pink Sheet" Sept. 22, 1975 (p. 3) as part o f an M-N'business analysis story. "Free ad" said: " The. Orlane-Jean d 'Albret cosmetic-fragrance business, largely concen trated abroad, is for sale to anyone who will come along with a reasonable offer.. Th annual report, of course, didn't put it in these words, but left little doubt as to the meaning.of what'it did say." 1'. I H "Implementing previously announced plans to disengage from, unprofitable and low growth, businesses," M-N's announcement said that it also will dispose of its Seneca ' Lake highway salt mine in Penn Yan, NY. Sale of cosmetic business and salt mine, M-N said, " ar expected to yield over $21 mil, in cash that will .be redeployed in other parts . of the business and will result in a one-time charge to earnings of approximately $34 mil., $2.71 per share," I i 11 Jean d'Albret was acquired by Norwich before its merger with Morton,`in a successful and.desperate effort to create an antitrust situation and stave off a takeover by Rev- Ion. Sales of the Orlane-d'Albret business increased about 12% in FY ended June 30, 1975, M-N annual report said, "with the gains stemming from the Orlane line of treatment prod ucts and makeup items." French Orlane lost about $939,000 in FY 1975 compared to an $87,000 profit in 1975. ' LoGiudice/WCD/0401