Thousands of claimants in the U.K. are suing Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), accusing the healthcare giant of knowingly selling asbestos-contaminated talcum powder that allegedly caused cancer in consumers. The case, involving roughly 3,000 individuals, is one of the largest product liability claims of its kind to reach the High Court in London.
The plaintiffs allege that they or their relatives developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using Johnson's Baby Powder.
Their lawyers argue that Johnson & Johnson and its current and former subsidiaries — including Johnson & Johnson Management and Kenvue U.K. — should all be held responsible for the alleged harm.
Citing court filings submitted on Thursday, the Guardian reports that the claimants assert the company "concealed" the health risks of talc-based powder for decades.
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They note that Johnson & Johnson switched from talc to corn starch in its U.K. baby powder in 2023, a move lawyers say underscores its awareness of potential safety concerns.
A spokesperson for Kenvue Inc. (NYSE:KVUE), the consumer health company spun off from J&J, which is now responsible for talc-related claims outside the U.S. and Canada, denied the allegations.
The company told the BBC that the talc used in its baby powder met all regulatory standards, did not contain asbestos, and was not linked to cancer.
Talc, a naturally occurring mineral mined globally, is central to the dispute.
Michael Rawlinson KC, representing the claimants, argued in court that "very few, if any, commercially exploited talc deposits in the world" are free from asbestos contamination.
The report highlighted claims that the mines supplying Johnson & Johnson contained asbestos and that the company's data and scientific research would have revealed that.
Rawlinson further alleged that Johnson & Johnson "suppressed information" indicating potential contamination, lobbied regulators to keep its product on shelves, and funded studies to downplay possible health risks.
He contended that the company "acted in bad faith" to protect its profits and the long-standing goodwill attached to its baby powder brand.
Johnson & Johnson has consistently denied the accusations, reiterating that its products are safe and did not knowingly sell talc-based baby powder contaminated with asbestos.
The company faces numerous similar lawsuits in the U.S., where litigation over its talc products has been ongoing for years.
Lawsuits allege Johnson & Johnson knew about trace asbestos in its products as early as the 1960s, citing a 1973 internal memo referencing "sub-trace quantities" of asbestos-related minerals. Johnson & Johnson disputes this interpretation, saying the document reflected potential regulatory changes that could have incorrectly classified talc fibers as asbestos.
background
In April, A U.S. bankruptcy court in Texas rejected Johnson & Johnson's subsidiary Red River Talc's request to approve its prepackaged bankruptcy plan. The company said the plan included one of the largest settlements in mass tort bankruptcy history and was backed by most claimants.
In October 2024, the Department of Justice's unit argued that Johnson & Johnson's latest bankruptcy maneuver is a bad-faith attempt to shield itself from billions in personal injury claims without entering bankruptcy.
Last week, a Los Angeles jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma, finding the company liable in the latest lawsuit alleging its baby powder products cause cancer.
JNJ Price Action: Johnson & Johnson shares were up 0.62% at $192.35 at the time of publication on Thursday. The stock is trading near its 52-week high of $194.40, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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