Johnson & Johnson offers $5.5B to settle baby powder cancer lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson has reached an agreement to pay $5.5 billion to settle a vast number of lawsuits claiming its talc-based baby powder caused ovarian cancer. The company has long asserted that these accusations are baseless and unsupported by science.

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lacks scientific merit

Erik Haas, worldwide vice-president of litigation for Johnson & Johnson, stated that the company has been successful in the majority of cases litigated so far. He reiterated the company's position that claims linking their talc products to cancer are founded on "junk science" and unreliable expert testimony that cannot withstand rigorous judicial scrutiny. Haas noted that a previous $9 billion settlement proposed by a subsidiary was denied by a U.S. bankruptcy court judge last year.

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junk science

Chris Seeger, a lawyer representing approximately 2,500 clients with talc claims, confirmed the deal, describing it as a favorable resolution after a lengthy legal battle. He indicated that the total payout could eventually exceed $7 billion, though the settlement does not cap Johnson & Johnson's overall expenditure. Seeger reported that his clients are pleased with the outcome, which assigns specific values to qualifying ovarian cancer claims.

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We got a fair settlement, and our ‌clients are ⁠going to be happy with it

The settlement includes an initial payment of $3 billion next year, with subsequent payments deferred until 2028. Johnson & Johnson expressed that while confident in ultimately prevailing in further litigation, this resolution allows the company to move past the issue and focus on its core mission of developing life-saving medicines and devices. The company previously settled about 95% of lawsuits concerning mesothelioma, a different type of cancer.

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The Court’s order placed plaintiffs in an untenable position of having to present specific causation evidence to maintain their claims that does not exist