Johnson & Johnson talc settlement offer reaches $5.5 billion
Johnson & Johnson says a $5.5 billion proposal would resolve about 76,000 ovarian cancer claims tied to its talc products.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
3 min read
Johnson & Johnson has put forward a $5.5 billion Johnson & Johnson talc settlement proposal to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its baby powder and other talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer, the company said Monday.
The New Jersey-based company said the deal would cover about 76,000 claims, which it described as nearly all of the remaining talc cases against it. The proposal is aimed at ending a legal fight that has shadowed the company for years.
Johnson & Johnson denies that its talc-based products caused cancer. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada in 2020.
What is the Johnson & Johnson talc settlement?
The proposed settlement is an offer by Johnson & Johnson to pay $5.5 billion to resolve ovarian cancer lawsuits involving its talcum powder products. A settlement would compensate claimants while allowing the company to close out much of the remaining litigation without admitting that its products caused cancer.
Erik Haas, Johnson & Johnson’s vice president of litigation, said in a company statement that the claims “lack scientific merit.” He said the company believes it would have won if the cases continued, but that resolving them would let Johnson & Johnson put the dispute behind it and focus on developing medicines and medical devices.
Plaintiffs’ lead counsel Chris Seeger said in a statement that the proposed agreement would provide fair compensation to plaintiffs. He said more than a decade of litigation and three failed bankruptcy efforts had left many women and families waiting too long for relief.
What claims does the deal cover?
The offer is tied to lawsuits alleging that Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and other talc products caused ovarian cancer. According to the company, the roughly 76,000 covered claims represent nearly all of the talc claims still pending against it.
Talc is a mineral used in some powders to absorb moisture and reduce friction. In the lawsuits, plaintiffs have alleged that use of Johnson & Johnson talc products was linked to cancer, while the company has rejected those allegations.
The company has already settled most cases alleging that its talcum powder contained traces of asbestos, according to CBS News. Asbestos exposure is blamed for causing mesothelioma, a cancer tied to the lining of the lungs and other organs.
Johnson & Johnson still faces claims abroad
The legal pressure is not limited to the United States. Johnson & Johnson also faces a lawsuit in the United Kingdom over similar allegations filed in 2025.
According to the law firm representing about 3,000 complainants in that case, the compensation claim is estimated at more than £1 billion, or about $1.3 billion. The claimants allege that they, or a family member, developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using Johnson & Johnson baby powder.
Johnson & Johnson’s proposed U.S. settlement does not erase the broader history of talc litigation, but the company says it would resolve nearly all remaining talc claims covered by the offer. The next step depends on whether the proposal secures the support needed to bring those cases to a close.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.