A California jury ordered Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay $26.5 million to a woman who claimed that she developed cancer from using the company's talcum powder that contains asbestos.
As per the court documents, the plaintiff of the latest trial was diagnosed with a deadly and rare form of cancer known as mesothelioma. The cancer is formed due to asbestos exposure. The attorney for the plaintiff alleged that J&J was aware of the asbestos particles present in their talc products, and still the company sold it in the market.
The jury even added $100,000 as punitive damages to the settlement as the company illicitly marketed the talc products, even after knowing that the products are unsafe and cause health problems.
A spokesperson for J&J stated that the jury's decision did not support the scientific evidence, so the company intends to appeal the verdict. The company claimed that its products are safe and asbestos-free. However, J&J has been held guilty for producing unsafe talc products in the past, which resulted in recalling 33,000 bottles in October 2019.
Currently, J&J faces more than 30,000 lawsuits against its baby powder products with similar allegations that the presence of asbestos in the product resulted in ovarian cancer and health problems.
Earlier, an Illinois jury granted a talcum trial verdict in favor of Johnson & Johnson by rejecting the allegations of the family members of the woman who died of ovarian cancer.
As per the court documents, the family members of the woman sought $50 million compensation by alleging that J&J's baby powder and Shower to Shower products are dangerous and resulted in ovarian cancer for the woman.
The 69-year-old woman died in September 2016, eighteen months after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
A spokesperson for J&J said in a statement that the verdict displayed careful consideration of the science and facts presented by the attorneys. He even added that the company deeply sympathizes with those who are suffering from cancer and seek answers for the same.
The plaintiff's attorney stated that there is strong evidence to conclude that genital talc leads to ovarian cancer, and the decision will not prevent them from seeking justice for several other women who are victims of the disease because of J&J's negligence and greed.
The verdict came in favor of J&J after a three-week trial in St. Clair County, Illinois.
Earlier, an executive of J&J failed to appear before the court as a witness for cross-examination in a talcum lawsuit. J&J recalled 33,000 bottles of talc-based powder in 2019, and in May 2020, discontinued its sale throughout the U.S.
J&J's talc products are one of the most popular cosmetic products throughout the country. For the past 25 years, over 12,00 women and their families have filed lawsuits against J&J alleging that the company's baby powder causes ovarian cancer.
Asbestos in talcum powder is the major cause of cancer as it is harmful to human health and can cause lifelong ailments. A study even concluded the direct linkage of talc powder to ovarian cancer.
The company is even set to settle $26 billion in the opioid MDL as ordered by the federal judge. The company will pay the settlement amount with three major pharmaceutical distributors, Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen.
