Core Viewpoint - A Los Angeles jury awarded $40 million to two women who allege that Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer, marking a significant development in ongoing litigation against the company [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Developments - The recent verdict is part of a long-standing legal battle regarding claims that talc in Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder is linked to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma [2]. - In October, another California jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma, asserting that her cancer was due to asbestos contamination in the baby powder [3]. - The latest jury awarded $18 million to Monica Kent and $22 million to Deborah Schultz and her husband, highlighting the plaintiffs' long-term loyalty to the brand [4]. Group 2: Company Response and Strategy - Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal the jury's liability verdict and compensatory damages, asserting that it has won 16 out of 17 ovarian cancer cases previously tried [4]. - The company maintains that the jury's findings contradict decades of independent scientific evaluations that confirm talc is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer [5]. - In response to declining sales, Johnson & Johnson replaced talc in its baby powder with cornstarch in 2020 and faced a setback in April when a U.S. bankruptcy court judge denied its plan to pay $9 billion to settle related litigation claims [5].