The Fortune 500 Company Is Facing Thousands of Lawsuits Over Talc-Based Baby Powder
With more than 20,000 lawsuits pending, Johnson & Johnson has agreed to settle over 1,000 lawsuits filed by consumers in which they allege that the company’s talc-based baby powder led them to develop cancer. Johnson & Johnson will pay over $100 million to resolve these suits, as first reported by Bloomberg.
Johnson & Johnson has been under scrutiny since the 1980s when consumer advocates questioned whether its talc-based powder, labeled and colloquially known as “baby powder,” was truly safe for use. These advocates were concerned that it may contain asbestos, a naturally occurring carcinogen, because talc, a soft white powder, forms in the Earth near asbestos deposits. Thus, talc can easily be contaminated with asbestos, and when used in consumer products, it can lead to the development of mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and other cancers.
Nevertheless, the Fortune 500 company has marketed its baby powder specifically for use on children, implying that talc-based powder is completely safe for one of society’s most vulnerable populations. Baby powder even has a “Clinically Proven” stamp for “mildness” right on the front of the bottle. Therefore, consumers were led to believe that this product was safe for children and used it on their own babies and on themselves.
Despite this marketing, Johnson & Johnson was aware for the past half of a century that its product could contain talc, according to internal memos. What does this mean for consumers? Unfortunately, they have been put at a substantial risk without their consent by a company that knew or should have known about the dangers of its product.
In May 2020, The New York Times broke the news that Johnson & Johnson discontinued the sale of talc-based powder in North America and will only continue to sell cornstarch-based powder. However, the company refused to admit that the talc-based powder is unsafe for consumers; in fact, the talcum powder will remain available to consumers around the world. This move followed the recall of 33,000 bottles of baby powder in October 2019, according to Forbes, after asbestos was indeed found to be present in the product.
This multi-million-dollar settlement may be a big step forward for consumer safety, but those aforementioned 20,000 cases are still due to hit the company while consumers around the world remain at risk of Johnson & Johnson’s asbestos-contaminated talcum powder.
If you or a loved one developed ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, or any other cancer as a result of using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder — or any talc-based powder you believe could be contaminated with asbestos — Peterson & Associates, P.C. wants to fight for you. Our attorneys are renowned for their work in product liability litigation and are passionate about winning you the compensation you deserve. Beyond that, we want to ensure the safety of consumers worldwide by holding these negligent corporations accountable.
Contact Peterson & Associates, P.C. online or call us at 816-888-8888.
