Johnson & Johnson beats lawsuit alleging that talc caused three women's cancer

A Los Angeles jury on Friday sided with Johnson & Johnson in a lawsuit by the families of three women who alleged that ‌the company's ⁠talc products ⁠caused ovarian cancer, finding that J&J was not negligent when selling cosmetic talc products.

The lawsuit was filed by the families of Mary Owens, Bonnie Tienken and Geneva Williams, who each died of ovarian cancer after using talc-based baby powder.

More than ‌67,000 plaintiffs have sued J&J, alleging that its baby powder and other talc ⁠products cause ovarian cancer.


J&J has won some cases outright, including an Oklahoma trial last week, but juries have awarded large verdicts for plaintiffs in other cases.

J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020, switching to a cornstarch product.

The case was based on "junk science," said Erik Haas, J&J's vice president of litigation.

The verdict is "disappointing," ⁠said lawyer Ari Friedman, who represented one of the plaintiffs.

J&J has settled a majority of cases alleging that its products caused mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer associated with asbestos.

Nearly all of the remaining cases allege that talc products cause ovarian cancer.