Facing tens of thousands of mesothelioma and ovarian cancer claims, international consumer giant Johnson & Johnson has announced that it will discontinue global sales of its talc-based baby powder next year. The company had previously halted the sale of the products in the United States and Canada in 2020, replacing the talc in the product with cornstarch.
Johnson & Johnson Continues to Deny Talc’s Role in Mesothelioma Deaths
In recent years, mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims have come forward to file personal injury lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other companies that have sold talc-based products. They have accused the company of failing to warn of the dangers of talc, despite having been warned that the material they used in their products might be contaminated with asbestos. Reuters published a report in 2018 indicating that Johnson & Johnson had kept that information from regulators and the public.
In response to claims filed by mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims, the company stopped sales of talc-based products in North America. Despite the mounting lawsuits, in announcing their halt of sales of the products worldwide, they said, “Our position on the safety of our cosmetic talc remains unchanged. We stand firmly behind the decades of independent scientific analysis by medical experts around the world that confirms talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.”
Iconic Company Seeking Bankruptcy Protection from Mesothelioma Claims
Johnson & Johnson’s move to distance itself from talc comes on the heels of the company pursuing a controversial legal move that placed all of its talc-related liabilities into a newly formed subsidiary that filed for bankruptcy immediately after its formation.
The bankruptcy move has put a halt to an estimated 40,000 pending mesothelioma and ovarian cancer claims. The decision to accept the bankruptcy petition is being appealed by victims.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, or any other asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608.
