Over the last several years, consumer giant Johnson & Johnson has been fending off legal claims filed by mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims who blame talc in their popular baby powder product for their illnesses. The company’s efforts have included litigation, a controversial bankruptcy maneuver, and arguing against the veracity of scientific inquiries and reports. Most recently, they asked the editors of an esteemed medical journal to retract a paper it published that detailed incidents of people diagnosed with mesothelioma after using cosmetic talc. The journal’s editors have rejected the company’s request.
Occupational Medicine Publication Asked to Retract Mesothelioma Study
After three unsuccessful bankruptcy settlement offers worth billions of dollars and facing tens of thousands of pending mesothelioma and ovarian cancer lawsuits, Johnson & Johnson has been working to diminish the impact of the science that has been used in support of victims’ claims. They’ve filed a fraud suit against Jaqueline Moline of Northwell Health, the author of a study that linked mesothelioma to talc, and in May, an attorney representing the company asked the editors of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine to retract the paper titled “Mesothelioma Associated with the Use of Cosmetic Talc.”
The article has repeatedly been referenced in expert testimony submitted on behalf of talc litigants, as it references dozens of cases of mesothelioma among individuals with no known asbestos exposure other than from cosmetic talcum powder. In response to an allegation from Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary that some patients included in the report had other sources of exposure, the author published an erratum stating she had identified a “single case” that should not have been included in the article because the patient had smoked cigarettes with asbestos-contaminated filters. The company then sued her for product disparagement, fraud, and making false statements in advertising, alleging that five other patients cited in the article had other exposures. That case was dismissed by a judge.
Journal Editor Says Mesothelioma Article Will Not Be Altered or Changed
In response to the request from Johnson & Johnson’s attorneys, the journal evaluated the allegations and gave Dr. Moline the opportunity to respond to the allegations about her mesothelioma study. Based on guidelines from the Committee on Publication Ethics, they found her reply satisfactory and indicated that the article would not be altered or changed. A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary attorney indicated that if a retraction was not forthcoming, the company would seek judicial relief.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
