Johnson & Johnson proposes US$5.5 billion settlement to resolve ovarian cancer talc lawsuits

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced a proposed US$5.5 billion settlement to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that its talc-based baby powder and other products caused ovarian cancer, marking the company's most significant effort yet to conclude a legal battle that has lasted more than 15 years.

The proposed agreement would cover approximately 69,000 remaining ovarian cancer claims pending in US federal and state courts. Under the proposal, J&J would make an initial payment of up to US$3 billion in 2027, with no additional payments due before 2028.

The settlement remains conditional on several requirements, including the participation of legal firms representing at least 95% of the remaining ovarian cancer claims.

The announcement follows a recent ruling by the federal court overseeing the Multi-District Litigation (MDL), which questioned whether plaintiffs could prove that the company's talc products caused ovarian cancer in individual claimants.

Settlement follows favourable court ruling

Johnson & Johnson said the proposed agreement comes after developments in the federal MDL proceedings that strengthened its legal position.

According to the company, the MDL court ordered plaintiffs on 22 July 2026 to demonstrate why the remaining talc lawsuits should not be dismissed because of an inability to prove "specific causation"—that a particular claimant's ovarian cancer was caused by the company's talc products.

The order followed the withdrawal by plaintiffs' lawyers of expert witnesses on specific causation in two bellwether cases after a court hearing examined the scientific reliability of their testimony.

Erik Haas, Worldwide Vice President of Litigation at Johnson & Johnson, said the company believed the court's decision confirmed its long-held position.

"After decades of litigation and full vetting of the science in an extensive hearing, plaintiffs effectively conceded their inability to prove specific causation by withdrawing their experts on the topic in two bellwether cases," Haas said.

He said the court's order placed plaintiffs in a position where they would have to produce evidence of specific causation that, according to the company, does not exist.

Haas added that although J&J remained confident it would ultimately prevail through continued litigation, the proposed settlement would allow it to conclude the dispute and remain focused on developing medicines and medical devices.

J&J said it has prevailed in the "overwhelming majority" of ovarian cancer cases that have proceeded to trial. The company also said the proposed settlement would complement previous agreements resolving about 95% of filed mesothelioma lawsuits, all state consumer protection claims and disputes involving talc suppliers.

Company continues to reject cancer allegations

Despite offering the settlement, Johnson & Johnson again denied that its talc-based products caused cancer.

The company said decades of research, clinical evidence and studies conducted by independent medical experts continue to support the safety of cosmetic talc.

"Studies show talc is safe, does not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer," the company said.

J&J also said it had retained responsibility for all talc-related liabilities in the United States and Canada following the separation of its consumer health business, Kenvue, in August 2023.

The company said it agreed to indemnify Kenvue against litigation costs arising from the remaining talc claims.

Legal battle began in 2009

Lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson began as early as 2009, with consumers alleging that prolonged use of the company's talc-based baby powder exposed them to asbestos contamination, resulting in ovarian cancer and other illnesses.

Earlier this month, the company secured a legal victory when a federal court questioned whether individual plaintiffs could establish that talc was the direct cause of their ovarian cancer.

The latest settlement follows several unsuccessful attempts by Johnson & Johnson to resolve the litigation through bankruptcy proceedings.

According to legal information published by Asbestos.com, the company previously sought to channel the claims through a corporate restructuring strategy commonly referred to as the "Texas Two-Step". US courts rejected those efforts three times, including a final rejection in April 2025.

Following those rulings, J&J announced it would abandon the bankruptcy strategy and instead defend individual lawsuits while pursuing negotiated settlements.

According to Asbestos.com, the company has said it has already settled approximately 95% of mesothelioma claims, while more than 60,000 ovarian cancer lawsuits remained pending before the latest proposal.

Talc products withdrawn from the market

Johnson & Johnson has gradually phased out its talc-based baby powder in recent years.

The company first discontinued sales of the product in the United States before ending global sales in 2023, replacing it with a cornstarch-based formulation. J&J said the decision formed part of a worldwide portfolio assessment and not a change to its position on the safety of cosmetic talc.

Scientific debate continues

Talc is a naturally occurring mineral composed primarily of magnesium, silicon, oxygen and hydrogen. Because of its soft texture and moisture-absorbing properties, it has long been used in cosmetics, including baby powder.

The lawsuits have centred on allegations that some talc products were contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. Talc and asbestos can occur naturally in neighbouring geological formations, raising concerns that contamination may occur during mining if quality controls are inadequate.

Scientific research on talc and ovarian cancer remains the subject of debate.

A 2019 review published in the National Library of Medicine found that while some epidemiological studies have reported an association between genital talc use and ovarian cancer, the scientific and medical communities have not reached a consensus that talc causes the disease.

The review noted that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies the perineal use of talc-based body powder as "possibly carcinogenic to humans", while the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recognise talc as an established ovarian cancer risk factor.

It also stated that no experimental studies have conclusively demonstrated that talc itself causes ovarian cancer.

The review further observed that litigation has increasingly focused on allegations of asbestos contamination rather than talc itself, while questions remain over whether asbestos was present in specific products and whether any exposure directly caused ovarian cancer in individual cases.