Lawsuits and trials involving claims that talc in Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder caused cancer are ramping up again, with a new complaint filed on Tuesday on behalf of the National Council of Negro Women. At the heart of the accusations against Johnson & Johnson, in this case and others, is that the company was aware that its products might cause cancer even as it marketed them. Johnson & Johnson is facing more than 25,000 lawsuits related to the talc products and to claims that they caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma, and set aside nearly $4 billion last year to handle the legal battles. Some of the suits blame asbestos-contaminated talc for health problems; internal company documents show that executives knew for decades of such concerns. Contamination of the talc by asbestos — a known carcinogen — can occur during the mining process.

Source: New York Times July 27, 2021 18:53 UTC