Johnson & Johnson agrees to $700M settlement over talc-based baby powder

Johnson & Johnson settlement overview: 

• Who: Johnson & Johnson agreed to a $700 million settlement with 42 states and the District of Columbia regarding its talc-based products.
• Why: The investigation accused the company of misleading customers about the safety of talc-based baby powder and products, claiming they can cause cancer.
• Where: The Johnson & Johnson settlement involves probes from attorneys general from 42 states and Washington, D.C.
• How do I get help: Consumers who used baby powder or Shower to Shower body power and were later diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma may have a legal claim.

Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $700 million to settle investigations from 42 states and the District of Columbia into whether the company misled customers with the marketing of its talc products, Reuters reports.

The Johnson & Johnson settlement will end the probe, which claimed talc-based baby powder could cause cancer, Reuters says.

“Consistent with the plan we outlined last year, the company continues to pursue several paths to achieve a comprehensive and final resolution of the talc litigation,” Erik Haas, J&J’s worldwide vice president of litigation, said in a statement, according to Reuters.

Private-party lawsuits against the company related to the talc products are not included in the Johnson & Johnson settlement, Reuters says.

50K+ individual lawsuits related to cancer not part of settlement

There are more than 50,000 lawsuits against the company related to the talc-based baby powder, Forbes reports. The lawsuits include claims the Johnson & Johnson talc can cause ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.

The majority of the cases are from women who claim the talc powder causes ovarian cancer, Reuters says. The company recently reached an undisclosed settlement with the mesothelioma plaintiffs, and Johnson & Johnson continues to claim the powder did not include asbestos.

Twenty-two women with ovarian cancer received a $2.1 billion judgment in 2020 related to talc powder, Reuters says.

Johnson & Johnson set aside $8.9 billion during its 2023 bankruptcy in hopes of settling 40,000 of the talc lawsuits, but a New Jersey judge rejected that deal, Forbes says. About $400 million of those funds were assigned to settling state consumer protection claims, Reuters reports.

Johnson & Johnson previously announced that, starting in 2023, it would no longer sell talc-based baby powder and would begin manufacturing it with cornstarch instead. The company has not sold talc powder in the United States and Canada since 2020.

Have you used Johnson & Johnson talc powder? Let us know in the comments. 

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• Recall issued for Nutramigen infant powder formula due to possible bacteria contamination
• Recall initiated for KinderMed pain, fever products due to acetaminophen instability
• Gerber class action alleges yogurt, fruit, veggie melts falsely advertised as containing no preservatives
• Recall announced for children’s activity centers sold at Walmart