28/07/2026
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28/07/2026
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NEW YORK, Jul 28: Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay an estimated $5.5 billion to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that its talc-based products, including its iconic baby powder, caused ovarian cancer, marking a major development in a decade-long legal battle.
The settlement, announced Monday, covers around 76,000 claims, including cases consolidated in federal court in New Jersey and related lawsuits in state courts. It represents nearly all remaining talc-related claims against the US healthcare giant.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers confirmed the agreement, describing it as a significant resolution after years of litigation. The deal must be accepted by 95% of ovarian cancer claimants in state and federal courts before it becomes final.
Johnson & Johnson Vice-President of Litigation Erik Haas said the company continued to deny the allegations and maintained that its talc products were safe.
“While we are confident the company would have ultimately prevailed with further litigation, this resolution allows the company to put this matter behind it,” Haas said, adding that the settlement would allow the company to focus on developing medicines and medical devices.
Under the agreement, Johnson & Johnson expects to pay about $3 billion in 2027, with additional payments scheduled for 2028. However, the final cost could rise depending on the number of claimants who participate.
Attorney Chris Seeger, who represents about 2,500 talc claimants and helped negotiate the deal, said the total payout could eventually reach $7 billion or more. He said the settlement does not place a cap on the company’s liability and assigns specific values to eligible ovarian cancer claims.
Decade-Long Legal Fight
Johnson & Johnson has faced thousands of lawsuits alleging that its talc products contained asbestos and were linked to cancer. The company previously resolved most claims involving allegations that talc caused mesothelioma.
The company has consistently denied that its products caused cancer, arguing that its talc was safe and did not contain asbestos.
The settlement follows a series of legal battles in which Johnson & Johnson secured several courtroom victories, including challenges to expert testimony used by plaintiffs and successful efforts to remove some plaintiffs’ lawyers from the litigation.
The company won a major legal victory last week when a federal judge questioned whether individual plaintiffs could prove that Johnson & Johnson’s talc specifically caused their ovarian cancer.
End of Bankruptcy Strategy
The agreement comes after Johnson & Johnson abandoned a controversial strategy known as the “Texas two-step,” in which the company attempted to resolve talc liabilities through a subsidiary bankruptcy process. Those bankruptcy attempts were dismissed after failing to gain court approval.
Before the bankruptcy efforts, the company faced mixed outcomes in talc trials, including a multibillion-dollar verdict awarded to 22 women who claimed baby powder caused their ovarian cancer. Other cases resulted in victories for Johnson & Johnson or reduced damages after appeals.
Unlike previous proposed bankruptcy settlements, the new agreement applies only to existing claims and does not cover future lawsuits.
Lawyers representing claimants said that excluding future claims allowed more money to be directed toward current plaintiffs and to accelerate payments, with the settlement expected to resolve claims within about 18 months rather than being spread over more than a decade.
