This week, a California jury heard opening statements in the latest trial pitting Johnson & Johnson against mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims. This is the second ovarian cancer case to move forward since the company abandoned its bankruptcy effort, and attorneys for the families of three women wasted no time in saying that J&J knew for decades that its baby powder contained asbestos, even as it advertised the product as safe and “pure.”
J&J’s Internal Documents Are Pivotal in Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Claims
In the first bellwether trial to proceed over ovarian cancer cases, a Los Angeles jury found that J&J’s talc products were a substantial factor in causing two women’s ovarian cancer, and ordered the company to pay the victims’ families $40 million in compensation. This week, attorneys walked the jury through internal documents dating back to the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s that allegedly show the company knew about or was concerned about asbestos in talc causing mesothelioma, and that even without asbestos, talc itself is a health hazard.
“They knew it,” an attorney representing the husband of one of the women told the jury. “They knew that asbestos causes cancer, including mesothelioma. They knew that asbestos has been detected in their talc.” The families’ representatives asserted that instead of warning the public about mesothelioma and cancer risks, J&J continued advertising its product as safe and “pure” for decades, going so far as to encourage women to use it for feminine hygiene. The jury was shown a suggestive late-1970s ad showing a woman saying the only thing she wears “under these underthings” is Johnson’s Baby Powder because it keeps her “soft and fresh and cool.”
Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Victims Point to Lifelong Use of J&J Baby Powder
None of the three victims at the center of this trial knew of mesothelioma and ovarian cancer risks from the product. They all said they trusted the company’s assurances that the product was safe and that they’d used J&J’s talc for feminine hygiene and other purposes for decades. Their cases are among tens of thousands pending nationwide since reports that talc can cause mesothelioma and ovarian cancer became public. The lawsuits led the company to pursue a controversial strategy, spinning off its talc unit into a separate entity and seeking bankruptcy protection. The maneuver was rejected three times by bankruptcy courts, allowing victims who’ve waited years to finally pursue justice through jury trials where internal documents have revealed decades of corporate knowledge about asbestos contamination.
In October, a Los Angeles jury ordered the company to pay $966 million in a case involving an 88-year-old woman whose mesothelioma death was blamed on its talc-based products. That award was later cut to $16 million by a judge who ruled that the estate’s counsel had failed to show the company had acted maliciously. In its defense against victims’ claims, the company has said, despite concerns reflected in internal documents, there is no asbestos in its products, and that the only reason it replaced talc in its powders in 2020 was that misinformation had led to diminished sales.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or ovarian cancer and you believe that contaminated talc products are to blame, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
