J&J Vows Appeal After Jury Hits it With $1.5B Talc Cancer Award

Core Viewpoint - A Baltimore jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries to pay over $1.5 billion to a plaintiff who claims that decades of exposure to asbestos in the company's talc-based products caused her peritoneal mesothelioma, a type of cancer [1][3]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings and Financial Implications - The jury found Johnson & Johnson, its subsidiaries, and spinoff Kenvue liable for failing to warn the plaintiff that its baby powder contained asbestos [1]. - The award to the plaintiff, Cherie Craft, includes $59.84 million in compensatory damages and $1.5 billion in punitive damages, with $1 billion against Johnson & Johnson and $500 million against Pecos River Talc [3]. - Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal the jury's decision, which is noted as the largest sum awarded against the company for a single plaintiff [2][5]. Group 2: Company Position and Ongoing Litigation - Johnson & Johnson maintains that its talc products are safe and do not contain asbestos, citing decades of studies to support its claims [6]. - The company is currently facing lawsuits from over 67,000 plaintiffs who allege that they developed cancer after using its talc products, a claim that Johnson & Johnson has consistently denied [7]. - The company had previously attempted to resolve litigation through a proposed bankruptcy settlement, which was rejected by courts [7]. Group 3: Product Changes and Market Impact - Johnson & Johnson ceased selling talc-based baby powder in the United States in 2020 and globally in 2023, transitioning to cornstarch-based alternatives [8]. - The Maryland verdict adds to a series of significant awards against Johnson & Johnson in talc-related cases, although many of these awards have been reduced or overturned on appeal [8]. - The company has set aside billions for litigation costs and settlements as it continues to contest claims in courts across the country [8].