Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue Inc will pay around $5.5 billion ( ₹52,668 crore) to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits in the US that alleged the companies’ baby powder and other talc products caused ovarian cancer.
J&J has maintained that its talc-based products do not cause cancer and that it has marketed its baby powder appropriately for more than a century. Erik Haas, the firm’s Vice President of Litigation, described the allegations as “meritless” and said the company wanted to settle the cases in order to finally resolve the matter, the BBC reported.
Haas said in a statement that the company believes it would have “ultimately prevailed with further litigation”, noting that it has succeeded in most of the cases heard in court so far.
‘An efficient conclusion’
He said the proposed resolution would “allow the company to put this matter behind it” and enable J&J to “remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives”.
The deal would bring to a close 15 years of litigation, with the drugmaker saying the proposed resolution represents “an efficient conclusion” to the lawsuits.
Johnson & Johnson discontinued its talc-based baby powder globally in 2023. The company also made three unsuccessful attempts to use bankruptcy proceedings to secure a settlement covering tens of thousands of lawsuits.
What is Talc?
Talc is a naturally occurring mineral composed of magnesium, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen. Known for its soft, soapy texture, it has long been a key ingredient in baby powder.
Johnson & Johnson has faced thousands of lawsuits from consumers and their families, who allege that its talc-based products caused cancer after being contaminated with asbestos.
Talc is extracted from the earth and is often found in rock formations close to asbestos deposits. Asbestos is a recognised carcinogen that has been linked to several forms of cancer.
In October, a California jury ordered J&J to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who alleged that decades of using the company’s baby powder caused her cancer. The award marked the largest verdict in the litigation involving an individual plaintiff.
In a statement published on the company’s website, Erik Haas had said, “While we are confident the company would have ultimately prevailed with further litigation, as it has in the vast majority of cases tried to date, this resolution allows the company to put this matter behind it and remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives.”
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