Document DDKxy2Qen6r3q01RqJqX5rrRo

- Johnson Johnson BABY PRODUCTS COMPANY SUBJECT Talc Publicity file NEW BRUNSWICK J. February 8 1977 Mr. J. Murray Jim this comments on your document outlining theoretical questions and answers on talc I delayed responding until I could see George Lee's technical review so that overlap could be avoided You will quickly see in my response that I am an opinionated stinker I genuinely believe that what you have basically done here has made excellent sense cases That's great because it I think your questions are really tough in some taxes us to be prepared with terse factual convincing responses I believe you have answered them that way in most all cases My suggestions where I have them generally fall in the area of tone My personal sense of things is that we need to respond crisply and positively and that we should stamp out any sense of defensiveness or generalization wherever possible With that in mind I make the following comments and suggestions 1 Is JBP pure I think as George adjusts this statement it is basically fine would suggest we don't mention where our mine is located Vermont because of the recent erroneous publicity reported in the Wall Street Journal involving talc mines in that area 2 Is JBP safe to use I find the response a little defensive I wonder if a simple yes might not due 3 How do you explain the allegation that asbestos fibers have been found in talc I wouldn't state that it may be true that minute amounts of some asbestos type minerals have been found in some industrial talcs I'd refer to the follow- up statement by the Mt. Sinai Department Head in which he clarified that the trace amounts of asbestos fibers were found in old product And since then refining methodologies have ended this situation The FDA has been sampling todays powder products and finds them free of asbestos safe and valuable Mt. Sinai finds baby powder 4 How could asbestos possibly get into talc in the first place I'd continue to use the term industrial grade talc in your responses 5. What is the difference between industrial and cosmetic talc I'd try to dramatize the difference by responding that industrial talc is so different from cosmetic grade talc that it should be renamed because industrial grade talc is really just a group of mixed mineral dusts which often contains less talc than talc materials 6. Can you show me proof that even pure talc is safe to use In answering this question I would add that there are no studies that we are aware of which demonstrate that normal use of pure cosmetic grade talc is anything but safe and valuable to consumers 7. Has anyone ever died from inhaling too much baby powder I think this answer is excellent JNJ 000277262 Mr. J. Murray @ -2- February 8 1977 But shouldn't the amount of powder used be limited to avoid too much exposure I'd flatly state the answer as no Further instead of specifying that the amounts in our testing involve small animals I would simply end the sentence on the word harmless Wouldn't it be safer to limit the number of times baby powder is applied during the day I would start your response by saying absolutely not I would also add that after over 75 years of normal use in the marketplace there is not one instance we're aware of that suggests a need to curtail normal use of JBP 10. Why isn't negative for wound talc used on surgeon's gloves anymore I believe this response is Could we simply say that no foreign substance but those developed healing should be used near wounds 11 ' Is baby powder 100 talc response by indicating we If not what else is in it I would begin can only answer for our own brand the 12 Nickel Isn't that a hannful substance I think this response with a few adjustments suggested by George Lee is a masterpiece 13 What is baby powder anyway Why use it at all if there is any question as to its safety I think the answer is excellent 14 15. Why if there is any question about the safety of talc doesn't J market a substitute such as corn starch Again the response is excellent And don't doctors seem to think corn starch is safer I would indicate that some do recommend corn starch We are convinced however that this is largely based on some of the erroneous publicity which has risen out of the confusion people have about industrial grade talc and cosmetic grade talc Industrial grade talc is a mixture of many mineral dusts which contain some talc Cosmetic grade talc is 90 pure talc at minimum 16 17. Does the consumer have any reason to be concerned about recent reports on the effects of workmens exposure to talc I believe this response is basically good I think again we have the opportunity to make a clear and concise dramatic differentiation between industrial grade talc and cosmetic grade talc But in the recent study isn't it true that one of the mines studied was J's I kind of feel that the first two sentences are defensive sounding I would begin by saying that the study was reported on before it was completely analyzed I would also indicate that we believe once analyzed that it will be found to be of virtually no value for the following reasons - Those people tracked in the study may have been exposed to many industrial environments other than talc mining - There was no provision made for understanding whether those in the study were heavy smokers or not 18 How can you exposure to be sure that none of the workers in your talc mines died because of talc dust I don't believe the answer helps us deal with the consumer were ; vols JNJ 000277263 Mr. J. Murray -3- February 8 1977 safety implications of the use of cosmetic grade talc I'd mention the problems with the Windsor Study don't know what dusts the miners were exposed to don't know if they were smokers or not and talk of the favorable results found in the Rubino Italian Miner Study 19. And have Are other you always sources as mined pure your own I think talc Has this is an it always excellent come from response Vermont 20 Could talc from less pure sources than yours be made into a finished product as pure and safe as your baby powder I think the here is excellent response Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity of commenting on your response outline that will teach you to allow me to nit pick sa CC L. Foster F. Kniffin G. Lee P. Lonergan B. Semple W. Waggoner C. LaRosa Attachment S. P. Falk RECEIVED RECEIVED 1977 FEB C^ DGELEE C^ DGE JNJ 000277264