Johnson & Johnson Tired of Lawsuits Over Allegedly Carcinogenic Baby Powder and Offers to Settle
American company Johnson & Johnson has offered to pay up to $5.5 billion to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits in the US. These lawsuits claim that the company's baby powder and other talc-based products could cause ovarian cancer.
The proposed settlement aims to end years of litigation that have negatively impacted the company's operations. Johnson & Johnson continues to insist that its products do not cause oncological diseases. The company also reminded that the composition of the popular baby powder has already been changed.
Eric Haas, the company's vice president for litigation, stated that the accusations lack scientific basis. According to him, the company agrees to pay compensation not because it admits guilt, but to definitively close this issue and focus on developing new medicines and medical devices.
The offer covers approximately 76,000 lawsuits, which constitutes the majority of all outstanding cases related to talc-based products. Johnson & Johnson plans to pay up to $3 billion next year, with the remaining amount no earlier than 2028.
For the agreement to take effect, it must be supported by legal firms representing at least 95 percent of plaintiffs in ovarian cancer cases in federal and state courts.
The company emphasizes that it is confident in its position and believes it could win most of the lawsuits, as has already happened in many previous instances.
Kenvue, a division spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2022, is now responsible for selling Johnson's Baby Powder outside North America. Kenvue also owns well-known brands such as Band-Aid, Listerine, and Calpol.
The first lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson began arriving back in 2009. Plaintiffs claimed that talc in the company's products was contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. Asbestos can get into talc because deposits of these minerals are often found close together.
In early July, a US federal court ruled in favor of the company, noting that it is difficult for individual plaintiffs to prove a direct link between talc use and the development of ovarian cancer.
Johnson & Johnson consistently denies all allegations and states that numerous studies confirm the safety of talc, the absence of asbestos in it, and the unproven link to cancer.
In 2022, the company announced that it would completely cease production and sale of talc-based baby powder worldwide. Instead, a cornstarch-based product is now being released.
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