The long-standing and famous case on the Johnson & Johnson talc. The US pharmaceutical giant has put on the plate 8,9 billion dollars to settle all ongoing lawsuits in North America over the sale of talc. J&J is in fact defending itself from very heavy accusations according to which its talcum powder-based products have caused cancer.
Johnson & Johnson's proposed deal and the talc allegations
Against Johnson and Johnson are currently underway 38 thousand lawsuits regarding talcum powder and other talc-based cosmetic products allegedly causing cancer. The company has never admitted to any wrongdoing, but it has discontinued the sale two years ago of baby powder in both the United States and Canada. “The company continues to believe these claims are specious and devoid of scientific merit,” Erik Haas, J&J's vice president of litigation, said in a statement. In 2019 it had been forced to withdraw a batch of baby powder from the market, because a sample analyzed contained traces of asbestos.
According to the statement released by the company, the agreement, which has yet to be approved by the court, "will fairly and effectively resolve all claims” based on the accusation that talc contains asbestos and causes ovarian cancer.
Johnson & Johnson reiterated that the proposed deal it is not “an admission of wrongdoingnor an indication that the company has changed its position and continues to claim that its talcum powder products are safe.” However, "resolving the matter as quickly and efficiently as possible is in the best interests of the company and all parties," the group said.
