What is in your paracetamol? 

did you know…

Purified Talc

Talc, although most commonly associated with talcum powder, is also an excipient added into paracetamol. Talc is a mineral which, when in powder form is white, soft to the touch and free from grit[1].

Talc is a naturally occurring mineral usually used in tablets and capsule preparations as a lubricant and a diluent.

Lubricant: prevents friction between drug granules and the surface of the manufacturing machinery.

Diluent: prevents friction between drug granules and the surface of the manufacturing machinery.

Recently, talc has been associated with the well-known carcinogen asbestos. In 2018, a leading producer of talc products was sued for nearly £4 billion after 22 women claimed that using talcum powder was the cause of their ovarian cancer.

It is thought that talc, the mineral found close to asbestos when mined underground, could potentially be contaminated[2]. However, the evidence was inconclusive. Nevertheless, this has caused concern for many consumers.

Alternatives are available. For example, non-talc baby powder is made from corn starch.

Talc can be found in:

Refrences:

1)Rowe RC, Sheskey PJ, Quinn ME. Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients. London: the Pharmaceutical Press. 2009.

2)BBC News. Johnson & Johnson to pay $4.7bn damages in talc cancer case. 2018 [cited 13/07/20]; Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44816805

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