Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is facing its first lawsuits in the United Kingdom over allegations that its talc-based products cause cancer, Reuters reports, as the company continues to battle tens of thousands of similar claims in the United States.
The suit, filed in England’s High Court on Tuesday, names as defendants J&J and Kenvue UK Limited – a subsidiary of Kenvue, J&J’s former consumer health unit, which was spun off in 2023. KP Law brought the case on behalf of more than 3,000 claimants who claim that use of J&J’s baby powder between 1965 and 2023 caused cancer ovarian, mesothelioma or other diseases.
Plaintiffs cite asbestos in talc products
According to KP Law, the plaintiffs allege that J&J talc products contained carcinogenic fibers, including asbestos, which has been linked to mesothelioma.
J&J and Kenvue say they maintain product safety
J&J has long maintained that its talc products are safe and asbestos-free. The company referred questions from Reuters to Kenvue, which said in a statement that the baby powder “did not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.”
J&J will stop selling talc-based baby powder in the US from 2020 and in the UK from 2023, replacing it with cornstarch-based products, the news outlet said. In the US, the company has faced tens of thousands of lawsuits related to talc products and was recently ordered to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who died of mesothelioma. Most of this award was for punitive damages, which are not commonly available in England.
Estimated value of UK litigation
KP Law estimates the value of the UK lawsuit at around 1 billion pounds ($1.34 billion). English courts typically decide civil cases by judge rather than jury, and although exemplary damages are possible, the amounts are generally lower than American punitive awards.
Kenvue said it expects a judge to conclude that its talc-based baby powder does not cause cancer.
