KILLER BABY TALCUM POWDER

Ratheesh Kaliyadan

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration took a brave decision by cancelling Johnson and Johnson's (J&J) license for manufacturing cosmetics. The decision is followed by following complaints of carcinogenic substances residue in its talcum powder for infants.

K.B. Shende, Joint Commissioner (Drug), Maharashtra FDA revealed that the J&J company used ethylene oxide in its skin powder for infants. The sterilisation process using the chemical is completely wrong, for it remains as a residue. With usage, the talcum powder could turn carcinogenic and cause irreparable damage'.

Unknowingly, our mothers become happy only if the infants and children are covered with the J&J talcum powders. Though there are small wounds, they use the powder as a protective cover! The result is direct entry of the carcinogens into the blood.

“We have not suspended the licence, we have cancelled it. The company cannot manufacture the Johnson baby powder at this stage,'' confirmed K.B. Shende, Joint Commissioner (Drug), Maharashtra FDA.

What is the saddest point of this decision? The complaint relates to 15 batches of talcum powder, comprising 160,000 containers, manufactured in 2007, by the company at its facility in Mulund, a Mumbai suburb. The J&J baby powder has a three-year shelf-life. A J&J official said to the Businessline: “ the FDA raised concerns about ethylene oxide treatment, which is not part of the manufacturing process as submitted to the FDA. The shelf-life of the concerned batch ended July 2010”. The J&J official’s words clearly mention that the decision is over a sold out product which will not help those who used the product. Still it will help to open our parents’ eyes and ears on using cosmetics.

A DAY FOR THINK ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM

Around the world we are not hearing happy news regarding the media world. Though the profession is glamorous and challenging, the mediavists are being targeted by various groups. They are murdered and attacked pathetically only for doing their “duty” sincerely. In 2012 alone, UNESCO’s Director-General condemned the killings of 121 journalists, almost double the annual figures of 2011 and 2010. The annual figures show shocking realities of the journalists’ works to guard the estates.

Considering the role and importance of journalists’ jobs, twenty years back, UNESCO declared May 3 as the World    Press Freedom Day (WPFD). World Press Freedom Day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1993 as an outgrowth of the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press. This seminar took place in Windhoek, Namibia from 29 April to 3 May 1991 and led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media.

The declaration stated: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." This document calls for free, independent, pluralistic media worldwide, characterizing free press as essential to democracy and as a fundamental human right.

It has its root from the United Nations’ Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights that states that everyone “has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.

Theme for World Press Freedom Day 2013 is  “Safe to Speak: Securing Freedom of Expression in All Media” and puts the spotlight in particular on the issues of safety of journalists, combating impunity for crimes against freedom of expression, and securing a free and open Internet as the precondition for safety online.

UNESCO established a prize to honour the work of an individual or an organization

which has made a notable contribution to the defense and /or promotion of freedom of expression anywhere in the world. The prize is known as The UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. It was created in 1997 by UNESCO’s Executive Board. It is awarded annually during the celebration of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. This year the award is won by Imprisoned Ethiopian journalist Reeyot Alemu.