Articles Posted in Talcum Powder and Cancer

For several years now, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has been battling numerous lawsuits from tens of thousands of people who claim its talc-based products, including its well-known baby powder, caused mesothelioma and ovarian cancer due to asbestos contamination. The company has previously attempted to resolve the claims through bankruptcy, which is mainly viewed as a controversial move given that it’s one of the most profitable companies in the world.  Two previous bankruptcy filings were thrown out in New Jersey and Philadelphia, but the company remains relentless. This time, it filed a bankruptcy petition in a Texas court, hoping to get the green light for a $10 billion settlement. While the company argues that the settlement plan is the fairest and fastest way to compensate victims, many claimants and government watchdogs disagree. The trial, which began on February 18, 2025, is expected to last two weeks, after which the judge will issue a verdict.

J&J has sold talc-based baby powder for many decades. However, it has faced several lawsuits alleging that its talc-based baby powder was contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. Asbestos exposure is known to cause serious illnesses, including mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer with no cure. Despite J&J’s claims that its products were safe, thousands of claimants diagnosed with mesothelioma and ovarian cancer filed lawsuits arguing that scientific studies suggest otherwise on the safety of their products and that J&J failed to warn consumers about the risks of using the products.

To resolve the many lawsuits against it, J&J created a subsidiary, Red River Talc, and transferred all its asbestos liabilities to the unit. Red River then filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, pausing all lawsuits against J&J while the court considered the settlement plan. This was also to force claimants into a bankruptcy settlement instead of a jury trial where verdicts could be much higher. When an asbestos company files for bankruptcy, all lawsuits are halted until the bankruptcy court decides. If successful, a company must establish a trust fund through which claimants can seek compensation based on predefined criteria. In return, the company continues its operations.

For purposes of this article, the claimants in this case will be referred to as S.S and B.S.

In a recent court decision, a Rhode Island judge ruled in favor of two plaintiffs, S.S. and B.S., a couple pursuing justice against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in a mesothelioma lawsuit. S.S., a mesothelioma patient, and B.S., her husband, filed the lawsuit against more than 40 defendants, including two subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson, who they blame for negligently exposing her to asbestos through their talc products. J&J and the two subsidiaries petitioned the court to substitute two other subsidiaries, but the judge presiding over the case denied the request.

S.S. and B.S. filed a lawsuit in March this year, citing exposure to asbestos-contaminated talc products as the cause of S’s mesothelioma. Among the many defendants, the two named in their lawsuit were LLT and Old Holdco, two J&J subsidiaries. Johnson & Johnson is facing many asbestos-related lawsuits, so to shift its legal focus, the giant pharmaceutical company tried to substitute two other subsidiaries. J&J asked the court to assign its liabilities to Pecos River Talc LLC and Johnson and Johnson Holdco Inc. J&J’s request was rooted in a corporate restructuring process the company claimed shifted its talc-related liabilities. In other words, according to Johnson & Johnson, Pecos and Johnson and Johnson Holdco are the defendants that should have been named in the lawsuit.

Recently, the Department of Justice (DOJ) took a firm stand against giant pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) after the company tried to file for bankruptcy again. Johnson & Johnson is facing mesothelioma and ovarian cancer lawsuits from tens of thousands of victims who blame the asbestos-contaminated talc in the company’s famous baby powder for their illness. To address these claims, J&J has repeatedly attempted a controversial strategy of filing for bankruptcy. Many people thought that J&J’s latest bankruptcy filing attempt would succeed. However, the DOJ intervened in the case and filed a motion to dismiss the company’s bankruptcy case.

Johnson & Johnson has followed in the footsteps of many asbestos companies facing lawsuits from mesothelioma and ovarian cancer victims. The pharmaceutical giant has filed for bankruptcy a number of times in an attempt to settle the tens of thousands of claims it is facing. All the claimants blame the company’s talc-based baby powder for their illness. They claim that the baby powder was contaminated with asbestos, a substance that is known to cause various illnesses, including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer. However, according to the U.S. Trustee, Johnson & Johnson is trying to abuse the bankruptcy system. The Trustee noted that J&J’s bankruptcy filing differs from standard asbestos trust funds since the company is not in need of bankruptcy relief. The Trustee noted that J&J is not in genuine financial distress.

Johnson & Johnson’s strategy involves filing for bankruptcy through a subsidiary called Red River Talc LLC. Pointing to this subsidiary, the U.S. Trustee said that it serves no legitimate purpose and seems solely designed to protect J&J, a company that is financially stable and cannot provide a conformable plan of reorganization. This is Johnson & Johnson’s third time attempting to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a bankruptcy chapter that is meant for companies facing genuine financial distress. According to the Trustee, this third filing is no different from the previous filings that the court rejected for similar reasons.

For purposes of this article, the deceased mesothelioma victim in this case will be referred to as T.G.

In a recent court decision, a Chicago appeals court upheld a jury’s verdict against Johnson & Johnson (J&J), providing the deceased mesothelioma victim’s family with the deserved justice. Earlier this year, a Cook County court in Illinois ordered the giant pharmaceutical company to pay T.G.’s family $45 million in damages after T.G. died of malignant mesothelioma. J&J tried to secure a retrial, but the court of appeals stood firm and ensured the jury’s decision in favor of the late T.G.’s family remained intact.

T.G., who had six children, was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that occurs due to asbestos exposure. This illness most commonly affects the lining of the lungs. After T.G.’s death, her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against J&J. According to the lawsuit, the source of the asbestos exposure that resulted in the death of T.G. was J&J’s talc-based product, which she used throughout her life. T.G. also used the product on her children. During the trial, the family’s legal representative presented evidence revealing that J&J’s talc-based product contained asbestos and the company knew about the dangers of this for years but failed to inform or warn the public, thus endangering the lives of millions of consumers, including T.G. and her children.

A significant legal victory was recently achieved when a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Johnson & Johnson (J&J) against a mesothelioma researcher. For long, mesothelioma victims have encountered challenges when trying to hold companies liable for their asbestos exposure. Many asbestos companies have defended themselves by challenging scientific evidence. Often, these companies argue that there is no conclusive proof that asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma. They focus on the methods and data and refuse to accept responsibility. Most recently, J&J filed a lawsuit against a mesothelioma scientist whose research suggests that talc-based consumer products can cause cancer. However, the judge dismissed the giant pharmaceutical company’s suit, emphasizing the researcher’s right to free speech. The judge also found no evidence to show that the researcher’s findings were false.

J&J has faced tens of thousands of lawsuits filed by victims of mesothelioma and ovarian cancer who used the company’s talc-based baby powder. The victims blame the talc-based baby powder for their asbestos exposure, which, in turn, caused their illnesses. The claimants argue that J&J failed to adequately warn consumers about the potential dangers associated with their product. In response to the lawsuits against them, J&J has employed several strategies, including creating a subsidiary, LLT Management, that proceeded to file for bankruptcy. The company has also filed lawsuits against researchers, including one prominent mesothelioma researcher, Dr. Jacqueline Moline.

Plaintiffs have presented internal J&J documents describing fears over the company’s talc’s connection to cancer. Despite this, the company still filed lawsuits against several researchers. Johnson & Johnson has not only attacked the researchers’ studies but has also accused one of the researchers, Dr. Jacqueline Moline, of libel, fraud, and false advertising in connection to the paper she published that connects asbestos-containing talcum powder products to mesothelioma.