CVS pulls J&J baby powder from its stores and online

The drugstore chain also initiated a “Do Not Sell” prompt in its store registers to prevent an accidental sale. The retailer said customers who purchased the product at CVS Pharmacy can return it to stores for a refund.

J&J shares fell $2.40, or about 1.9%, to $127.50 in Thursday trade after the news.

For J&J, its voluntary recall was the latest setback for a company combating thousands of lawsuits claiming the talc-based powder contains the cancer-causing mineral. According to the company, the recall is limited to just one lot of 33,000 bottles of Johnson’s Baby Powder produced and shipped in the U.S. last year.

J&J last week called the recall a precautionary measure and maintained that its baby powder does not contain asbestos.

“[J&J] has a rigorous testing standard in place to ensure its cosmetic talc is safe and years of testing, including the FDA’s own testing on prior occasions — and as recently as last month — found no asbestos,” the company said in a statement.

Johnson & Johnson still battling thousands of cases involving its baby powder

“Thousands of tests over the past 40 years repeatedly confirm that our consumer talc products do not contain asbestos. Our talc comes from ore sources confirmed to meet our stringent specifications that exceed industry standards,” the statement continued.

According to J&J, independent laboratories have tested the company’s talc and confirmed it is asbestos-free.

J&J said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found small amounts of asbestos in one bottle, which the company is currently investigating to determine how the contamination occurred and whether the bottle is counterfeit.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.