After decades of courtroom battles, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) faces another wave of legal scrutiny in 2025. The company, once synonymous with baby care, is now tied to tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.
With a record-breaking U.S. verdict and a new class action lawsuit in the U.K., the fight over J&J’s legacy product has become one of the largest consumer health litigations in history.
⚖️ Background — How the Talc Controversy Began
For years, J&J marketed its talcum-based Baby Powder as a safe daily-use product. However, scientists and plaintiffs’ lawyers later alleged that some batches were contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen.
Thousands of consumers — mostly women — claim long-term use of the product led to ovarian cancer, while others allege lung disease and mesothelioma caused by inhalation exposure.
The controversy first gained momentum in the early 2010s, but by 2020, it had evolved into a global mass-tort movement. Despite mounting lawsuits, J&J continues to deny any wrongdoing, maintaining that decades of independent testing show its talc products are safe.
💥 2025: The Year the Pressure Intensified
🇬🇧 A Landmark UK Class Action
In 2025, J&J faced its first major group lawsuit in the United Kingdom, with more than 3,000 claimants seeking an estimated £1 billion in damages. The plaintiffs allege that Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries failed to warn consumers of the risks associated with talc powder use.
This marks the first large-scale talc claim ever brought in the U.K., signaling the spread of litigation beyond U.S. borders. Legal experts describe it as a “watershed moment” that could encourage European victims to come forward.
If successful, this action could lead to one of the largest product-liability payouts in British legal history.
🇺🇸 The $966 Million California Verdict
In October 2025, a California jury awarded $966 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma. The jury found that asbestos in J&J’s talc-based powders was a substantial factor in her illness.
Of the total, nearly $950 million were punitive damages, intended to punish the company for what the jury saw as reckless disregard for consumer safety.
J&J called the verdict “excessive” and vowed to appeal, maintaining that the evidence linking its products to asbestos exposure was “scientifically unsound.”
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💰 Failed Settlement Attempts & The Bankruptcy Strategy
Johnson & Johnson has tried several times to resolve all talc-related lawsuits through a complex bankruptcy restructuring strategy — creating subsidiaries to handle liabilities and then attempting to have them declare bankruptcy.
This so-called “Texas Two-Step” maneuver was intended to streamline settlements and cap total payouts. However, in 2025, U.S. bankruptcy judges rejected J&J’s latest proposal, ruling that it lacked adequate claimant support and unfairly shielded the company’s main assets.
Earlier, J&J had proposed a $9 billion global settlement, which was also blocked. The repeated failures have left the company facing over 60,000 individual lawsuits in federal and state courts across the U.S.
🔍 Scientific Dispute — What the Evidence Says
The legal fight centers around whether talc products contained trace amounts of asbestos and, if so, whether exposure levels were high enough to cause disease.
- Plaintiffs’ argument: Internal company memos allegedly show that J&J was aware of potential asbestos contamination in its talc decades ago. They claim the company ignored safety warnings and misled regulators and consumers.
- J&J’s defense: The company cites hundreds of studies and regulatory reviews showing that cosmetic-grade talc is safe and that its powders were asbestos-free. It argues that scientific evidence linking talc to ovarian cancer remains inconclusive.
While several scientific panels have stated that data is mixed, juries have often sided with plaintiffs — particularly in cases where internal documents suggested possible knowledge of contamination.
🧩 Beyond the U.S.: Global Legal Fallout
The 2025 U.K. case may set a precedent for similar European actions. Law firms in Canada, Australia, and South Africa are already reviewing claims from consumers who used Johnson’s Baby Powder for decades.
Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson’s consumer spin-off, Kenvue, which now manages most non-pharmaceutical brands, has faced questions about whether it could be drawn into future litigation — though J&J maintains full responsibility for legacy talc claims.
J&J permanently discontinued talc-based Baby Powder worldwide in 2023, shifting entirely to a cornstarch-based formula, but that move has done little to stem the legal tide.
🧮 Financial Exposure and Market Impact
Industry analysts estimate that J&J’s talc-related liabilities could ultimately exceed $12–15 billion, depending on appeals and future verdicts.
The company has already spent billions in legal fees and settlements, including a $700 million agreement in 2024 with U.S. state attorneys general over misleading marketing claims.
Despite these setbacks, J&J’s share price has remained relatively stable, reflecting investor confidence in its diversified portfolio of medical devices and pharmaceuticals.⚠️ What’s Next in 2026
- California “bellwether” ovarian cancer trials are scheduled for early 2026, expected to shape future settlement values.
- The U.K. High Court will decide next year whether to certify the class action fully and allow discovery to begin.
- U.S. appeals over large verdicts — including the 2025 $966M award — will likely continue into 2027.
Legal experts expect prolonged litigation rather than a quick global settlement, given the scale and complexity of the cases.
✅ Final Take — A Legacy Under Scrutiny
The Johnson & Johnson talc lawsuits have transformed from isolated claims into one of the largest corporate liability battles in history.
Whether or not J&J is ultimately found liable across jurisdictions, the damage to public trust has already reshaped the company’s image. Once seen as the gold standard in baby care, J&J now faces years of brand rebuilding.
Verdict: The company’s legal strategy has delayed — but not defused — accountability. For thousands of victims, 2025 marks a year of hope that justice may finally arrive.
