Johnson & Johnson to pay $55m in 2nd talc-powder trial

For the second time in three months, a US jury in St Louis yesterday ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay a huge award over claims that its talcum powder causes cancer, reports AP. The jury deliberated eight hours yesterday before ordering the company to pay $55 million to a South Dakota woman who blamed her ovarian cancer on years of talcum powder use. In February, another St Louis jury awarded $72 million to the family of an Alabama woman who died from ovarian cancer, which she said was caused by using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and other talcum products. New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson will appeal the latest ruling. “Unfortunately, the jury’s decision goes against 30 years of studies by medical experts around the world that continue to support the safety of cosmetic talc,” Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said in a statement. “For over 100 years, Johnson & Johnson has provided consumers with a safe choice for cosmetic powder products and we will continue to work hard to exceed consumer expectations and evolving product preferences.” But Jim Onder, attorney for the plaintiff, Gloria Ristesund, said researchers began linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer in the 1970s, and he said internal Johnson & Johnson documents showed that the company was aware of those studies. “The evidence is real clear that Johnson & Johnson has known about the dangers associated with talcum powder for over 30 years,” Onder said. “Instead of giving a warning, what they did was targeted the groups most at risk for developing ovarian cancer,” specifically marketing to overweight women, he said.

Johnson & Johnson to pay $55m in 2nd talc-powder trial

For the second time in three months, a US jury in St Louis yesterday ordered Johnson Johnson to pay a huge award over claims that its talcum powder causes cancer, reports AP. The jury deliberated eight hours yesterday before ordering the company to pay $55 million to a South Dakota woman who blamed her ovarian cancer on years of talcum powder use. In February, another St Louis jury awarded $72 million to the family of an Alabama woman who died from ovarian cancer, which she said was caused by using Johnson Johnsons baby powder and other talcum products. New Jersey-based Johnson Johnson will appeal the latest ruling. Unfortunately, the jurys decision goes against 30 years of studies by medical experts around the world that continue to support the safety of cosmetic talc, Johnson Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said in a statement. For over 100 years, Johnson Johnson has provided consumers with a safe choice for cosmetic powder products and we will continue to work hard to exceed consumer expectations and evolving product preferences. But Jim Onder, attorney for the plaintiff, Gloria Ristesund, said researchers began linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer in the 1970s, and he said internal Johnson Johnson documents showed that the company was aware of those studies. The evidence is real clear that Johnson Johnson has known about the dangers associated with talcum powder for over 30 years, Onder said. Instead of giving a warning, what they did was targeted the groups most at risk for developing ovarian cancer, specifically marketing to overweight women, he said.