Johnson & Johnson Agrees To Pay States $700 Million To Settle Talcum Powder Lawsuits
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Johnson & Johnson has officially agreed to pay $700 million to settle an investigation by 42 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., over claims regarding the company’s deceptive talcum powder marketing. This agreement will resolve allegations that the company misled consumers into thinking that its talcum powder products were safe.
It was first reported back in January that both sides had reached a tentative agreement which was led by attorneys generals from Florida, North Carolina and Texas.
Plaintiffs in the lawsuits claim J&J knew for decades that its talcum products were contaminated with asbestos, but took steps to hide the fact. J&J has repeatedly said its talc products are safe and don’t cause cancer and did not admit wrongdoing as part of the new settlement.
Under the new agreement, J&J will not resume manufacturing, marketing, promotion, sale or distribution of the affected products, including all baby and body powder products and all cosmetic powder products that contain talcum powder, in the U.S. Instead, J&J is now marketing and selling cornstarch versions of its originally talc-based products.
“This is a major advancement for consumer product safety,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a statement.
California ($78 million), Florida ($48 million), Texas ($62 million), New York ($44 million) and New Jersey ($30 million) are set to receive the highest amounts from the settlement.
J&J Still Facing Thousands of Individual Lawsuits
The new agreement won’t affect individual lawsuits. However, it is likely to offer the company some protection against any future legal claims. It may also help with resolving lawsuits that have already been filed against the pharmaceutical giant.
J&J still faces more than 53,733 talc lawsuits in New Jersey federal court from people claiming the company’s talcum powder products caused them to develop cancers. Most of the lawsuits are from women who developed ovarian cancer. Some also claim that plaintiffs developed mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by asbestos.
Just last month, J&J offered an $8.9 billion settlement to end all current and future ovarian cancer talcum claims as part of its bankruptcy filing for one of its subsidiary units, LTL Management, LLC. There has been no update on whether the plaintiffs will accept the offer.