J&J agrees to USD 5.5B settlement over talc cancer lawsuits

New York : Johnson and Johnson (J&J) has agreed to pay USD 5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits in the United States alleging that its discontinued talc-based baby powder caused ovarian cancer.

The healthcare company announced on July 27 that the proposed settlement covers about 69,000 cases pending in federal and state courts, representing nearly all outstanding talc-related claims in the country. The agreement will take effect only if at least 95 percent of eligible claimants approve the deal.

J&J has consistently denied that its talc products cause cancer but discontinued sales of its talc-based baby powder in the US in 2020 and globally in 2023. In 2024, WHO classified talc as "probably carcinogenic to humans."