New Delhi: Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $5.5 billion to settle the majority of its remaining talc related lawsuits in the United States, bringing one of the country’s longest running product liability disputes closer to an end. The proposed agreement aims to resolve thousands of lawsuits alleging that the company’s talc based products caused ovarian cancer.
The settlement is subject to several conditions, including approval from plaintiff law firms representing at least 95 percent of the remaining ovarian cancer claims pending in federal and state courts.
The agreement follows a significant development in the federal court overseeing the litigation. The court recently directed plaintiffs to explain why the remaining lawsuits should not be dismissed after expert witnesses were withdrawn from two key test cases. Johnson & Johnson argued that the move weakened the scientific basis linking its talc products to individual cases of ovarian cancer.
Despite agreeing to the settlement, the company has reiterated that it does not admit any wrongdoing and continues to maintain that its talc products are safe. It said the decision is intended to bring years of litigation to a close and allow the company to focus on its pharmaceutical and medical technology businesses.
Under the proposed terms, Johnson & Johnson will commit a total of $5.5 billion, with an initial payment of up to $3 billion scheduled for 2027. Additional payments would begin from 2028 if the settlement receives the required support.
The company discontinued the global sale of talc based Johnson’s Baby Powder in 2023 following a broader review of its product portfolio. In the same year, it completed the separation of its consumer health business, Kenvue, while retaining responsibility for all talc related legal liabilities in the United States and Canada.
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