Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has offered to pay as much as $5.5bn (£4.14bn) to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits in the US. (Photo: AP)
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has offered to pay up to $5.5bn (£4.14bn) to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits claiming its baby powder and other talc-based products caused ovarian cancer, according to the BBC.
The proposed deal aims to close a legal fight that has weighed on the US healthcare firm for years. J&J denies its talc products caused cancer and has since changed the formula of its baby powder.
What has J&J said about the settlement?
Erik Haas, the firm’s vice-president of litigation, said on Monday that the claims against the company are without merit, but that J&J was ready to settle in order to finally put the matter to rest. He said the deal “allows the company to put this matter behind it” and lets J&J stay focused on developing medicines and devices that save lives.
Haas added that the company believed it would have won in the end had it continued fighting the cases in court, pointing to its track record of success in most cases heard so far.
How much will J&J pay, and who does it cover?
The settlement would cover about 69,000 cases, making up most of the remaining talc-related claims. J&J said it would pay up to $3bn next year, with no further payments due before 2028.
Before the deal can be finalised, it must be accepted by legal firms representing 95 per cent of the ovarian cancer claims currently in state and federal courts.
What is the background to these lawsuits?
Lawsuits against J&J over its talc-based baby powder date back to as early as 2009. Earlier in July, a US federal court handed the company a win by questioning whether individual claimants could show that talc had directly caused their cancer.
Johnson & Johnson stopped selling powder made with talc worldwide in 2023. (File Photo)
Talc is a natural mineral made up of magnesium, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen, valued for its soft, soapy feel and commonly used in baby powder. Because talc is mined from the ground close to seams of asbestos a substance known to cause cancer the lawsuits centre on claims that J&J’s products were contaminated with asbestos. J&J has consistently rejected this, saying studies show talc is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.
In 2022, J&J said it would stop making and selling talc-based baby powder worldwide, more than two years after it had already ended sales of the product in the US.
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At the time, the company said it had decided to move to an all-cornstarch baby powder range as part of a wider review of its product portfolio.
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Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has offered to pay as much as $5.5bn (£4.14bn) to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits in the US. (Photo: AP) 
