Johnson & Johnson proposes $5.5 billion talc settlement to end marathon legal fight

Johnson & Johnson has proposed a $5.5 billion settlement to resolve remaining lawsuits alleging its talc products caused ovarian cancer. This proposed settlement is contingent upon at least 95% of claimants agreeing to participate. The company had previously fought talc-related lawsuits for over a decade, and a prior $9 billion settlement was denied by a bankruptcy court judge. Johnson & Johnson will make an initial payment of up to $3 billion next year, with no further payments due until 2028. The company stated that this resolution allows it to move forward and focus on its core mission. This settlement follows previous agreements that resolved approximately 95% of lawsuits concerning mesothelioma, consumer protection claims, and talc-supplier disputes.

Johnson & Johnson has proposed a settlement of up to $5.5 billion to resolve numerous lawsuits alleging its talc-based baby powder caused cancer. This legal battle has been ongoing since at least 2009, with plaintiffs claiming J&J's products were contaminated with asbestos. The company has consistently denied these allegations, stating that studies show talc is safe and does not cause cancer. Recently, a federal court raised questions about plaintiffs' ability to prove talc directly caused their ovarian cancer. The liability for Johnson's baby powder outside North America now rests with Kenvue, J&J's former consumer health business, which was spun off in 2022.

Johnson & Johnson has agreed to a $5.5 billion settlement to resolve approximately 69,000 lawsuits in the United States alleging that its talc-based baby powder caused ovarian cancer. This agreement, announced on Monday, aims to cover nearly all outstanding talc-related cases in US federal and state courts, though it requires acceptance from 95 percent of claimants to be finalized. J&J maintains that there is no evidence linking talc to cancer, but the company discontinued sales of its talc-based baby powder in the US in 2020 and globally in 2023. The settlement does not include the United Kingdom, where a significant product liability case involving over 7,000 potential claimants is currently being heard. This resolution aims to conclude a decade-long legal battle for the pharmaceutical giant.