J&J Reaches Landmark $5.5 Bn Talc Settlement
Synopsis
The agreement would resolve nearly all remaining lawsuits over claims that the company's talc products caused ovarian cancer.
Key Highlights
- Johnson & Johnson agrees to pay $5.5 billion in talc lawsuit settlement
- The settlement will resolve approximately 69,000 federal cases and similar state court litigation related to talc claims, nearly 99.75% of the remaining asbestos-related talc claims.
- The deal must be approved by 95% of ovarian cancer claimants before it’s finalised.
Johnson and Johnson has reportedly reached a $5.5 million settlement for thousands of lawsuits claiming that its baby powder and other products caused ovarian cancer.
The settlement covers around 69,000 talc-related claims grouped together in federal court in New Jersey as well as similar court cases, accounting for about 99.75% of the remaining claims against the Corporation.
Settlement Awaits Claimants’ Approval
Plaintiffs’ firms confirmed the settlement, calling it a fair outcome in a 10-year fight. But the settlement can close only if 95% of state and federal court claimants in the ovarian cancer suits signed on.
J&J Maintains Products Were Safe
The company thinks the claims are without merit but settled to put the litigation behind them, J&J Vice President of Litigation Erik Haas said.
The company had still been good to go in litigation, with a statement claiming it would have likely won, as it has in most of the cases it’s tried so far. Last week, Johnson & Johnson won a legal victory when a federal judge raised doubt about whether individual plaintiffs could show that talc alone caused their ovarian cancer.
Throughout history, the business has denied that its talc products caused cancer. It said its products were not a cause of disease and are free of asbestos. J&J ceased sales of talc baby powder in the US in 2020, switching to a cornstarch-based product.
Settlement Covers Existing Claims Only
Talc litigation was paused for more than three years during an unsuccessful effort by J&J to resolve the lawsuits through the bankruptcy of a shell company, before resuming in March 2025.
A new agreement such as this one would only apply to current claims, unlike earlier bankruptcy settlements that covered both old and all future lawsuits.
Source: Reuters
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