Johnson & Johnson Ordered to Pay $55 Million in Talc Powder Case

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Summary: For the second time this year, Johnson & Johnson is ordered to pay damages for causing ovarian cancer.

Baby Powder maker Johnson & Johnson is facing a long-brewing comeuppance. According to KTLA, the company must now pay damages to a woman who claims their talcum powder gave her cancer. This is the second multi-million talc lawsuit they’ve lost this year, and they have multiple other similar cases looming.

  

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After three weeks of trial, Gloria Ristesund was awarded $55 million by a jury in St. Louis. She said she used Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder on her genitals for over 35 years and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2011. Her lawyers said that the corporation knew of possible health risks associated with talc, but they did not warn consumers. Her lawyers used the company’s internal communications to make their case.

In February, jurors awarded the estate of another Missouri woman $72 million for a similar reason. Jacqueline Fox’s family said she developed ovarian cancer from talc powder use, and like Ristesund’s attorneys, Fox’s team used Johnson & Johnson’s internal memos to show the company knew of talc’s risks but refused to stop selling the product or share the information with consumers. Fox died of cancer in 2015.

Carol Goodrich, a spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson, maintains that talc is safe for cosmetic products and the labeling of her company’s products is “appropriate.”

Talc is a natural mineral that is used to absorb moisture in products ranging from baby powder to make up. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, talc is deemed “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” However, any items that are cosmetic do not have to be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration for safety, but they must be properly labeled and safe for consumer use.

Reuters reports that Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal.

Source: KTLA