American pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has offered a $5.5 billion settlement to end thousands of lawsuits accusing the company’s talc-based baby powder and other products of contributing to ovarian cancer cases.
The company announced the proposed agreement on Monday, saying it would address approximately 76,000 pending claims filed against it in different courts across the United States.
However, the settlement is subject to approval from law firms representing at least 95 per cent of the remaining claimants involved in both federal and state court cases.
In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said it had reached an agreement with legal representatives handling the federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL) and related state lawsuits, adding that the resolution depends on the participation of the required number of claimants.
The company said the proposed settlement followed a favourable decision by the MDL court and recognition from plaintiffs’ lawyers that they had been unable to establish that its talc products directly caused ovarian cancer in specific claimants.
Talc, a naturally occurring soft mineral, was previously widely used in cosmetics and personal care products, including baby powders. Its use has reduced in recent years amid concerns over possible links to cancer. The World Health Organisation classified talc as “probably carcinogenic to humans” in 2024.
Despite the claims, Johnson & Johnson has continued to deny that its talc products cause cancer, insisting there is no scientific evidence proving such a connection. The company discontinued sales of talc-based baby powder in the United States in 2020 and globally in 2023.
The company stated that a court ruling had made it difficult for plaintiffs to continue their claims because they were required to provide specific evidence linking its products to individual cancer cases.
“Although we remain confident that the company would have succeeded in further litigation, this agreement allows us to resolve the matter and focus on our mission of developing medicines and medical devices that improve lives,” Johnson & Johnson said.
The proposed settlement marks the latest development in a years-long legal battle involving the company over allegations surrounding its talc products.