J&J ordered to pay record $966 million in talc baby powder cancer case

The verdict comes amid over 70,000 pending claims accusing J&J of talc-related cancers, with many cases consolidated before a federal judge in New Jersey for pre-trial proceedings

A California jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who attributed her mesothelioma to lifelong use of the company’s baby powder, according to a Bloomberg report. This marks the largest verdict for a single user in the 15-year litigation surrounding J&J’s talc-based products.

 

The Los Angeles Superior Court jury delivered its verdict on October 6, holding J&J liable for Mae Moore’s cancer. It awarded $16 million in compensatory damages and $950 million in punitive damages, after finding the company had concealed asbestos-related risks in its talc powders, Reuters reported.

 

 

Moore, who died in 2021 at the age of 88, and her family had alleged that J&J knowingly hid the health hazards of its iconic baby powder and “Shower-to-Shower” products.

Company vows to appeal

According to Bloomberg, Erik Haas, Worldwide Vice President of Litigation at J&J, said the company would “immediately appeal this egregious and unconstitutional verdict", claiming it contradicts most other talc-related cases where J&J was found not liable.

 

The verdict comes as the company faces a new wave of jury trials related to talc-based baby powder, which J&J withdrew from the global market in 2023. The company has attempted three times to use bankruptcy courts to resolve tens of thousands of claims but failed to secure approval.

Decades of alleged cover-up claims

Jessica Dean, a Texas-based attorney representing Moore’s family, told Bloomberg the verdict validated years of legal effort. She said it took the family five years to reach trial and welcomed the jury’s conclusion that J&J should be held accountable.

 

The case is part of a broader wave of litigation, with over 70,000 claims pending against J&J alleging that its talc products caused mesothelioma and ovarian cancer. Many of these lawsuits have been consolidated before a federal judge in New Jersey for pre-trial proceedings.

 

Nearly a dozen juries have previously found J&J and its consumer spinoff Kenvue liable, awarding billions in damages. However, several verdicts were later reduced or overturned on appeal. Plaintiffs cite internal documents indicating the company was aware of asbestos contamination in its talc as early as the 1970s.

Largest single-user verdict to date

Moore’s award represents the largest individual payout in the ongoing litigation. The previous record verdict was $4.7 billion, awarded to 20 women in 2018, later reduced to $2.1 billion on appeal. Including interest, J&J ultimately paid $2.5 billion.

Lifelong product use and company history

According to court filings, Moore used J&J’s baby powder and 'Shower-to-Shower' powder for nearly 80 years. Jurors concluded the company intentionally misled consumers about the potential cancer risks of its talc products.

 

'Shower-to-Shower' was sold to Valeant Pharmaceuticals in 2012 for about $150 million, but J&J continues to face legal challenges over alleged contamination in products manufactured prior to the sale.