Los Angeles: Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has suffered another major legal blow in the long-running litigation over its talc-based baby powder. A California jury has ordered the healthcare giant to pay a total of $40 million (approximately ₹332 crore) to two women who alleged that prolonged use of the product caused them to develop ovarian cancer.
According to the verdict delivered by the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, the jury concluded that Johnson & Johnson was aware of potential cancer risks linked to its talc products but failed to adequately warn consumers. The court awarded $18 million (around ₹150 crore) to Monica Kent and $22 million (about ₹182 crore) to Deborah Schultz and her husband.
Both women, residents of California, testified that they used Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder regularly for nearly four decades, particularly after bathing. Court records show that Kent was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014, while Schultz received the diagnosis in 2018.
Claims of Knowledge Dating Back to the 1960s
During closing arguments, plaintiffs’ attorney Andy Birchfield told jurors that internal evidence showed Johnson & Johnson had known since the 1960s that its talc-based products could pose serious health risks. Despite this, the company allegedly chose to suppress the information rather than disclose it to consumers.
Testimony presented during the trial detailed the severity of the women’s medical treatment, which included major surgeries and dozens of rounds of chemotherapy. The plaintiffs argued that these outcomes could have been avoided had consumers been properly warned.
Company Disputes Verdict, Plans Appeal
Johnson & Johnson has rejected the jury’s findings and announced plans to challenge the verdict. In a statement, Erik Haas, the company’s worldwide vice president of litigation, said J&J would “immediately appeal” the ruling and expressed confidence that the decision would ultimately be overturned.
The company maintains that the verdict is an anomaly and pointed to its history of securing reversals or reductions of adverse rulings on appeal. J&J’s legal team argued in court that no conclusive scientific evidence links talc use to ovarian cancer and that no major US health authority has established such a connection.
Defense attorneys also contended that there is no credible scientific study demonstrating that talc can migrate from external use to the reproductive organs.
Over 67,000 Lawsuits Pending
According to court filings, Johnson & Johnson is currently facing more than 67,000 lawsuits related to its talc products. The majority involve claims of ovarian cancer, while a smaller number allege links to mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer.
The company has consistently stated that its talc products are safe, asbestos-free and do not cause cancer. However, amid mounting legal pressure, J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the United States in 2020, replacing it with a cornstarch-based alternative.
Bankruptcy Strategy Fails to Gain Court Approval
In recent years, Johnson & Johnson has attempted to resolve the litigation through a controversial bankruptcy strategy, proposing settlements exceeding $10 billion. Federal courts have rejected these efforts three times, most recently in April 2025, clearing the way for cases to proceed to trial.
The Kent and Schultz case is among the first to reach a jury since the latest bankruptcy attempt was dismissed.
Legal Pressure Likely to Intensify
Legal experts say the latest verdict could further complicate Johnson & Johnson’s efforts to contain its talc liabilities. While the company has won some cases and reduced others on appeal, juries in several trials have returned verdicts running into billions of dollars.
The ruling underscores that the talc controversy remains far from resolved and is likely to continue casting a long shadow over one of the world’s largest healthcare companies.
