Johnson & Johnson is currently facing over 40,000 personal injury claims blaming its talc for cases of ovarian cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma. At issue is whether the product causes these illnesses and whether the company was aware of its dangers. As multidistrict litigation exclusively filed by ovarian cancer victims is set to begin in New Jersey, the consumer giant is attempting to subpoena records from an expert witness in cases involving mesothelioma.
Expert Witness Records from Mesothelioma Claims Subpoenaed in Different Case
According to attorneys representing ovarian cancer claims against Johnson & Johnson, the company’s attorneys have subpoenaed expert witness Dr. Jacqueline Moline’s employer, Northwell Health, attempting to uncover the names of individuals who worked with her on researching the tie between cosmetic talcum powder and mesothelioma. The company’s subsidiary, LTL Management has previously sued Dr. Moline.
Both Dr. Moline’s employer and attorneys representing ovarian cancer victims have objected to the subpoenas, arguing that the information from the mesothelioma claim has nothing to do with the ovarian cancer multidistrict litigation. Said one representative, “Dr. Moline’s articles concern the link between cosmetic talc use and mesothelioma – not ovarian cancer.” The victims are also objecting to a subpoena of communication records of a product liability expert involved in the case, calling it “irrelevant and inadmissible” and accusing it of being a fishing expedition.
Johnson & Johnson’s Attorneys Insist that Records from Mesothelioma Expert Matter
In defending subpoenas, Johnson & Johnson argue that many of the experts in the ovarian cancer litigation relied on the research that the mesothelioma expert published in 2020 and 2023. They say that the “allegations that asbestos is present in cosmetic talc is a central and hotly disputed issue in this litigation.” Dr. Moline’s research is frequently used to assert that the company’s talc contains asbestos. The question about the subpoenas is expected to come up at a hearing scheduled for next week.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or ovarian cancer and you believe that cosmetic talc is to blame, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608.
