London: Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has agreed to pay $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits in the United States alleging that its talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer.
The proposed agreement covers approximately 76,000 claims, following the company’s earlier settlements involving cases that alleged its talc products contained asbestos and caused mesothelioma.
J&J maintained that the allegations lack merit. Erik Haas, the company’s Vice President of Litigation, stated that the settlement is intended to bring the long-running legal dispute to a close rather than reflect any admission of wrongdoing.
Haas added that the company remains confident it would have continued to prevail in court, noting that it had already won the majority of cases that went to trial. However, resolving the claims would allow J&J to focus on developing medicines and medical devices.
The healthcare giant has consistently denied that its talcum powder products cause cancer. In 2020, it discontinued sales of talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in the United States and replaced it with a cornstarch-based version. The change was extended to global markets in 2023.
Under the proposed settlement, Johnson & Johnson expects to pay $3 billion in 2027, with the remaining amount to be paid the following year. Chris Seeger, a lawyer representing around 2,500 claimants, said the final settlement value could exceed $7 billion, describing the outcome as fair for his clients.
The agreement will only become final if law firms representing at least 95 percent of the claimants approve the settlement.
Legal action continues in the UK
The company is also facing similar litigation in the United Kingdom, where thousands of people claim they or their relatives developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using Johnson’s Baby Powder between 1965 and 2023.
A lawsuit filed in the High Court in London by KP Law seeks damages from both Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue UK, the consumer health company that was separated from J&J in 2023.
The claim alleges the Johnson & Johnson baby powder contained carcinogenic asbestos fibres and that the risks were concealed for decades. Kenvue has rejected those allegations, stating that Johnson’s Baby Powder did not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.
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