The Hindu Business Line : J&J can keep the `baby', but with a caution!

The multinational company will also have to carry a caution label, besides a list of ingredients on its package, the Maharastra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said in its recent order on the baby-oil controversy.

The company has been given time till September to clear out existing inventory and incorporate the new labelling requirements on its packages, the FDA Commissioner, Mr Ramesh Kumar, told Business Line.

Bringing the curtains down on a five-month old controversy, the FDA order has asked J&J to carry caution labels on "all baby cosmetic products". The company's baby oil had been called into question, as the base was light liquid paraffin oil, a mineral oil believed to be unfit for babies.

J&J's baby oil and hair-oil will now carry the caution: "For external use only. Keep out of reach of children to avoid accidental drinking and inhalation, which can cause injury. Discontinue use if skin irritation occurs."

Meanwhile, seven other J&J products including baby cream, lotion, baby-milk, shampoo, nourishing-soap, blossoms and milk-soap will carry a smaller warning, also indicating that the product be discontinued is skin irritation continues, the FDA order said.

The warning is important from a user point of view, as the issue first came to the fore on a consumer complaint that the baby-oil had resulted in allergy.

J&J has also been asked to give a toll-free number on its package, in case of consumer queries.

A spokesperson for J&J indicated that the labelling changes will be made by September. The new labels have also been sent to the Drug Controller General of India. Significantly, the baby-oil controversy is one of the reasons that precipitated a change in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940. Changes are now being made to tighten the labelling of cosmetics, across the board.

Following J&J's baby oil, similar products from Wipro, Himalaya, Emami and Dabur had also been put under the scanner.

The FDA chief said that Wipro has already agreed to change its label and have a detailed ingredients list. As for Emami and Dabur, he said there has been a lull in the proceedings. Dabur's oil was being imported from Nepal. These products had ayurvedic ingredients, he said. He indicated that there were more issues here to be sorted out, before a final order is given on these products.

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J&J can keep the `baby', but with a caution!