ohnson & Johnson (J&J) has offered up to $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits in the United States alleging that its talc-based baby powder and other products caused ovarian cancer.
The proposed settlement aims to resolve one of the largest product liability disputes in the company's history, ending years of litigation that has weighed on the healthcare giant.
J&J said the agreement would cover approximately 69,000 remaining ovarian cancer claims filed in state and federal courts.
The company plans to pay up to $3 billion next year, with no additional payments scheduled before 2028.
However, the settlement will only proceed if legal firms representing 95% of the ovarian cancer plaintiffs agree to the proposal.
J&J denies cancer allegations
Despite offering the settlement, Johnson & Johnson reiterated that it does not believe its products caused cancer.
Company Vice President of Litigation Erik Haas described the allegations as "meritless" and said the settlement was intended to finally bring the lengthy legal battle to an end.
"The proposed resolution allows the company to put this matter behind it and remain focused on its mission to develop medicines and devices that save lives," Haas said.
He added that J&J remains confident it would have ultimately prevailed in court, noting that the company has won the majority of talc-related cases heard so far.
Long-running legal battle
The lawsuits date back to 2009, when consumers began claiming that prolonged use of J&J's talc-based baby powder caused ovarian cancer because the talc was allegedly contaminated with asbestos.
Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and critics argued that talc mined near asbestos deposits could contain harmful fibres.
Johnson & Johnson has consistently rejected those claims, saying scientific studies show its talc is safe, asbestos-free and does not cause cancer.
Product already discontinued
In 2022, Johnson & Johnson announced it would stop manufacturing and selling its talc-based baby powder worldwide, replacing it with a cornstarch-based formula.
The company had already discontinued sales of the talc product in the United States more than two years earlier as part of what it described as a commercial portfolio review.
Meanwhile, liability for Johnson's Baby Powder outside North America now rests with Kenvue, the consumer health company spun off from J&J in 2022. Kenvue owns brands including Band-Aid, Listerine and Calpol.
Earlier this month, J&J also secured a legal victory after a US federal court questioned whether individual plaintiffs could sufficiently prove that talc directly caused their ovarian cancer.
