Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Lawsuit Becomes UK’s Largest Product Liability Case
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Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Lawsuit Becomes UK's Largest Product Liability Case
- A legal case in the UK against Johnson & Johnson regarding its talcum powder now involves over 7,000 claimants, more than doubling from an initial 3,000.
- The claimants allege that Johnson & Johnson was aware as early as the 1960s that its talcum powder contained asbestos, a contaminant linked to various cancers.
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A High Court case in London concerning Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder has grown to include over 7,000 claimants, making it the largest product liability case in UK history. The lawsuit, which began with approximately 3,000 claimants, alleges that Johnson & Johnson knowingly sold baby powder contaminated with asbestos, a substance linked to cancers such as mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.
The claims span the period from 1965 to 2023, the year Johnson & Johnson ceased selling talc-based baby powder in the UK. This move came three years after the company stopped sales in the US and Canada, citing declining sales and “misinformation” regarding the product’s safety, despite maintaining that its talc products were asbestos-free and safe. Internal company documents and scientific reports form the basis of the claimants’ allegations, suggesting Johnson & Johnson was aware of potential asbestos contamination in its talc as early as the 1960s.
Johnson & Johnson, along with its current and former subsidiaries Johnson & Johnson Management and Kenvue UK, are named as defendants in the case. Kenvue, which was spun off from Johnson & Johnson, now handles talc-related claims outside the US and Canada. While Johnson & Johnson denies the allegations, it has agreed to a Group Litigation Order, which allows common issues affecting multiple claimants to be addressed together. This legal action in the UK mirrors thousands of similar lawsuits filed in the United States, where Johnson & Johnson has faced significant verdicts and settlements related to talcum powder claims.