Most people associate Asbestos with high-risk trades such as shipbuilding,
construction, power generation, and oil refining. News of Asbestos in
Baby Powder is often met with shock and disbelief.
The Facts: Asbestos and Talc are minerals extracted from rock. Deposits
of Asbestos are adjacent to Talc deposits at many U.S. and international
Talc mines. When Talc is extracted and processed it can become mixed with
Asbestos. In the absence of appropriate testing by mines and end-product
manufacturers, Asbestos-Contaminated Talc products such as Baby Powder,
Cosmetic Powders, and Medicated Powders were sold to unsuspecting consumers,
without any warning.
In recent years, we have learned that Talc companies knew about Asbestos
in source Talc and end products as early as the 1960s and 70s but failed
to remove it or warn the public. Their response was, instead, a campaign
of denial marked by opposition to more effective testing standards, attacking
scientific studies, attempting to re-define asbestos, and, of late, public
assurances of safety.
Click here to see a Timeline of Asbestos in Talc.
Johnson & Johnson, manufacturer of the iconic Johnson’s Baby
Powder, has dominated the Talc product market for over 100 years. Its
sales outpace all competitors combined. Not surprisingly, J&J is the
main protagonist in the campaign to deny a link between Talc and Asbestos
Cancer, in both the media and the courts.
Worthington Caron, PC was involved in the first mesothelioma case against
J&J in 1997 and has been part of the on-going effort to disclose J&J’s
long-standing knowledge of Asbestos in its products.
On this page, you will find a compendium of resources and news stories
regarding J&J and Asbestos. Check back often for updates and Contact
Us for more information.
J&J Will Appeal Texas Two-Step Strategy to Supreme Court
In the ongoing legal battle involving Johnson & Johnson’s use
of the much-criticized
Texas Two-Step, J&J now plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Please
click here for the full article.
March 24, 2023
Senator Durbin Applauds Recent Appellate Court Ruling for J&J
Senator Dick Durbin once again criticized Johnson & Johnson’s
attempt to escape accountability and exploit loopholes in bankruptcy law.
This time, however, he has reason to praise the
recent Appellate Court ruling which rejected the Texas Two-Step legal maneuver.
Please
click here for the full article.
March 13, 2023
Appeals Court Rejects J&J's Controversial Bankruptcy Plan
In a win for mesothelioma plaintiffs, a three-judge panel in the Federal
Appeals Court/Third Circuit court of Philadelphia has
unanimously ruled that Johnson & Johnson cannot use bankruptcy to sidestep more than
40,000 talcum-powder lawsuits.
Please
click here for the full article.
Johnson & Johnson Will Stop Selling Talc-Based Baby Powder Worldwide Next Year
Despite previously
discontinuing sales of talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada in 2020 after growing
public pressure, Johnson & Johnson still managed to eke out an excuse to
continue selling tainted baby powder in global markets.
Please
click here for the full article.
Johnson & Johnson’s Bankruptcy Plan to be Reviewed by Appellate Court
A Federal Appeals Court will revisit the controversial ruling allowing
Johnson & Johnson to use the
Texas Two-Step tactic to transfer individual talc lawsuits to mass bankruptcy claims.
Please
click here for the full article.
May 19, 2022
Johnson & Johnson’s Rejects Vote to Stop Selling Talc
Johnson & Johnson voted against a proposal to end sales of its talc-based
baby powder globally at its annual shareholder meeting on April 28, 2022.
Please
click here for the full article.
May 12, 2022
Johnson & Johnson’s Shareholders to Vote to End Sales of Talc-Based
Baby Powder Worldwide
Johnson & Johnson is being forced into a shareholder vote on Thursday,
April 28, at its 2022 Annual Shareholder meeting to end all sales of its
talc-based baby powder globally.
Please
click here for the full article.
April 28, 2022
Johnson & Johnson’s Controversial Prison Experiments Revealed
Unsealed documents from more than 50 years ago, reveal that Johnson &
Johnson funded experiments on prison inmates to examine the effects of talc.
Bloomberg News reports that J&J’s involvement in these controversial talc studies
was not made public until last week.
Please
click here for the full article.
March 16, 2022
Senator Durbin Blasts Johnson & Johnson’s Bankruptcy Plan
Speaking from the U.S. Senate floor on February 15, Sen. Dick Durbin
condemned Johnson & Johnson’s controversial bankruptcy strategy, which
he labeled “shameful and indefensible”, to limit their massive
legal liability to asbestos talc plaintiffs.
Please
click here for the full article.
February 21, 2022
Johnson & Johnsons Plan to Limit Compensation to Talc Plaintiffs Revealed
Once again leading the charge,
Reuters issued a special report detailing the bombshell story of how Johnson &
Johnson strategized the plan to limit compensation to asbestos talc victims.
Please
click here for the full article.
February 21, 2022
Chanel, Revlon, and L’Oreal Join Johnson & Johnson in Removing
Talc from Products
Major cosmetic brands Chanel, Revlon, and L’Oreal are following suit
with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and will stop the manufacture and
sale of talc-based cosmetic products.
Please
click here for the full article.
July 8, 2020
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J&J to Stop Sale of Talc Baby Powder-A Major Victory for US Consumers!
As reported on May 19 by Environmental Working Group (EWG) Johnson & Johnson ("J&J") will stop the sale of talc-based
baby powder in the US and Canada.
Please
click here for the full article.
May 22, 2020
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FDA Holds Public Hearing—Stands Up to Cosmetic Talc Industry on Asbestos
Testing Standards
On
February 4, 2020, the FDA held a public hearing on testing methodology for asbestos in
talc and cosmetics. This is the first time the FDA has held a public hearing
on the matter for nearly 50 years.
Please
click here for the full article.
February 17, 2020
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FDA’s Upcoming Hearing on Talc Testing Standards
On February 4, 2020 the
FDA will hold the first public hearing on testing methodology for asbestos
in talc and cosmetics since 1971.
Please
click here for the full article.
January 22, 2020
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New Mexico Sues Johnson & Johnson for False Advertising and Misleading
the Public of the Dangers of Talc
Attorney general of New Mexico, Hector Balderas, announced in a
press release on January 6 that he has filed suit on behalf of the state of New Mexico
against Johnson & Johnson and three other corporations for wrongful
marketing, sale and promotion of asbestos-containing talcum powder products.
Please
click here for the full article.
January 10, 2020
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Johnson & Johnson & Its Old Pal the FDA
Last week
Reuters News published a new report as part of their continuing investigation into Johnson & Johnson revealing
new details on how the corporate giant used its relationship with the
Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to manipulate the public's trust
for more than 50 years. Please
click here for the full article.
December 16, 2019
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The Call is Coming from the Basement
Earlier this month the Food and Drug Administration announced that lab
tests had found trace amounts of chrysotile asbestos fibers in a bottle
of Johnson & Johnson's talc baby powder. J&J issued a recall
of 33,000 bottles of baby powder in response but has vehemently denied
the accuracy of the tests. The samples were contaminated. The baby powder
was counterfeit.
They were framed! Please
click here for the full article.
October 31, 2019
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Retailers Remove Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder from Shelves
Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid have all removed Johnson &
Johnson's baby powder from their shelves after last Friday's safety
recall was issued when news broke that J&J's talc baby powder
was contaminated with asbestos. Please
click here for the full article.
October 28, 2019
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EWG to Congress: Protect Our Children from Asbestos
The
Environmental Working Group is again urging Congress to require warning labels on talc products after
Johnson & Johnson issued a recall last week of 33,000 bottles of their
baby powder after testing conducted by the Food and Drug Administration
found asbestos in the product. J&J voluntarily
recalled lot #22318RB, which was manufactured and shipped for distribution last
year. Please
click here for the full article.
October 24, 2019
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Johnson & Johnson Recalls Baby Powder Over Asbestos Concerns
On October 18, Johnson & Johnson announced that it was voluntarily
recalling 33,000 bottles of baby powder after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
discovered trace levels of chrysotile asbestos from the same lot. The
recall represents the first time J&J has pulled baby powder from store
shelves and completely undercuts its legal defense insisting that their
baby powder has always been safe . Please
click here for the full article.
October 22, 2019
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NYT’s “The Weekly” Tackles the Toxicity of Johnson &
Johnson’s Baby Powder
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"The Weekly," a new TV series from
The New York Times, latest episode centers around a woman diagnosed with mesothelioma who
chose to spend what turned out to be her last few months fighting Johnson
& Johnson. Patricia Schmitz vividly recalls the almost sacred ritual
of bathing and powering her younger siblings and later herself and her
children, after all, how much damage could you do with powdering?
Click here to read more.
October 14, 2019
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Johnson & Johnson under Criminal Investigation for Asbestos Cover Up
Johnson & Johnson is facing a criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice
Department following revelations the company knew its talc products, including
the iconic Baby Powder, were contaminated with asbestos but continued
to sell the products for over 40 years without passing the information
along to investors and consumers. Please
click here for the full article.
July 17, 2019
-------------------------------------
FDA Confirms Asbestos in Claire's Makeup; Acknowledges Need For Regulation
of Cosmetics Industry
On Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a
Safety Statement and a
Recall Alert after confirming the presence of asbestos in cosmetic powder makeup products
marketed to young girls and teens, and sold by retailer Claire's. Please
click here for the full article.
March 8, 2019
-------------------------------------
Johnson & Johnson Issued Federal Subpoenas as Part of On-Going Investigation
The New York Times
reports that in an
SEC filing this week, Johnson & Johnson disclosed it had been subpoenaed by the
Department of Justice and SEC regarding allegations that it led a decades-long
campaign to cover up asbestos in Baby Powder and other talc products.
Please click
here for the full article.
February 22, 2019
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J&J Supplier Imerys Files for Bankruptcy Protection Amid Talc Lawsuits
On February 13, Imerys Talc America, a major talc supplier for Johnson
& Johnson,
filed for bankruptcy protection amid mounting lawsuits claiming exposure to
its talc causes mesothelioma and ovarian cancer. Imerys is routinely named
as a co-defendant alongside cosmetic giant, Johnson & Johnson. Please
click here for the full article.
February 15, 2019
-------------------------------------
NYT Report Finds Cosmetics Industry?s Lax Regulations Hurts Consumers
Unlike the pharmaceutical industry, the personal-care industry is essentially
self-regulated. In fact, the federal government has not updated the laws
regulating the personal care industry since 1938 when it was first enacted.
In addition, the FDA does not require safety-testing on products before
they hit the market and limits its oversight to adequately monitor products
thereafter.
Over the years, chemicals linked to reproductive and developmental health
issues found in nail polish, hair and skin products have demonstrated
the need for new cosmetic regulations. The recent headline-grabbing
reports about the discovery and cover-up of asbestos-tainted talc represents yet
another demand for full transparency and disclosure of toxic ingredients
in products. Please
click here for the full article.
February 13, 2019
-------------------------------------
SELF Asks: How Worried Do You Need to Be About Asbestos in Baby Powder
and Other Talc Products?
In the wake of the recent
Reuters investigative report finding Johnson & Johnson knew about asbestos in its talc products
for decades, the popular women's health, beauty and style publication,
SELF, examined the health risks currently posed by talc products. Please
click here for the full article.
February 4, 2019
-------------------------------------
Sri Lanka Halts Imports of Johnson’s Baby Powder Over Asbestos Concerns
On January 30, 2019 Reuters
reported that the National Health Ministry of Sri Lanka has banned imports of Johnson’s
Baby Powder until independent testing of talc supplies proves the talc
is asbestos free. This move comes in the wake of a December 2018
Reuters Investigative Report finding Johnson & Johnson knew for decades its Baby Powder contained
asbestos. Please
click here for the full article.
February 1, 2019
-------------------------------------
Senator Murray “Troubled” by Reports J&J Hid Risks of Baby
PowderDemands CEO to Produce Asbestos Info
On January 28, 2019, the United States Senate took the monumental step
of demanding that consumer products giant, Johnson & Johnson, produce
documents and information relating to asbestos in J&J Baby Powder.
The demand was communicated in a
letter from Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Republican-controlled
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, to J&J
CEO Alex Gorsky. Please
click here for the full article
January 31, 2019
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California Jury finds Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Contained Asbestos,
was Defective, and its Risks were "Known or Knowable" to the Company.
San Pedro, CA. Johnson & Johnson has been waging an all-out campaign
to rehabilitate its image in the wake of a December 14, 2018 report by
Reuters News finding the company knew for decades its iconic Baby Powder contained
asbestos. When the story broke, J&J shares fell 10% in one day, translating
into a $40 billion loss. Please
click here for the full article.
January 17, 2019
-------------------------------------
Los Angeles Times: "Johnson & Johnson's baby powder risk expands:
It faces triple the cancer trials in 2019"
2019 is not looking bright for
Johnson & Johnson.
2018 ended with bombshell news reports from
Reuters News and the
New York Times, chronicling evidence of J&J’s decades’-old concern about
asbestos in baby powder which it hid from the public. The evidence was
presented in numerous lawsuits J&J defended across the country in
which it was asserted that asbestos in J&J products caused mesothelioma
and ovarian cancer. The news sparked investor concern leading to J&J’s
biggest drop in market value in a decade. Please
click here for the full article.
December 31, 2018
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Toxic UnTruths
It was deceptive then, and it’s deceptive now.
Over 70 years ago a major asbestos insulation manufacturer marketed their
products as “non-irritating and non-toxic.” They went further
and asserted their asbestos insulation actually contributed to “worker
well-being on the job.”
That same company, Owens Corning Fiberglas, eventually filed for bankruptcy
protection.
We’ve seen this before. Please
click here for the full article.
December 21, 2018
-------------------------------------
J&J moves to limit impact of Reuters report on asbestos in Baby Powder
In an update to their
bombshell reporting on Johnson & Johnson’s history of asbestos tainted talc, Reuter’s “stands by its reporting” as J&J continues to deal with the fallout of their PR nightmare
and plummeting stock.
J&J has taken out full-page ads in major and local newspapers (click here to view the ad) asserting that talc is common, safe and beneficial. “If we had
any reasons to believe our talc was unsafe, it would be off our shelves.”
J&J CEO, Alex Gorsky, did an interview with the host of “Mad
Money” on
CNBC in an attempt to assure investors to have faith in their company and categorically
deny any causation between talc and asbestos related illness. Please
click here for the full article.
December 20, 2018
-------------------------------------
Baby Powder's Possible Asbestos Link Worried Johnson & Johnson for Years
On December 14, 2018, the
New York Times published an article investigating Johnson & Johnson’s concern over asbestos in its Baby Powder dating back to the early 1970s.
A concern which J&J chose not to share with regulators and shareholders,
not to mention American consumers who purchase more Johnson’s Baby
Powder than all other brands of Baby Powder combined.
The New York Times article was published the same day as a
Reuters News investigative report concluding that Johnson & Johnson “knew
for decades that asbestos lurked in its Baby Powder.” News of the
day caused shares of J&J to drop 10 percent. Please
click here for the full article.
December 18, 2018
-------------------------------------
Reuters News: "Johnson & Johnson Knew for Decades That Asbestos
Lurked in its Baby Powder"
Back in 1997, our client Darlene Coker was diagnosed with mesothelioma
at the age of 52. With the assistance of co-counsel, Herschel Hobson,
Roger Worthington and our firm investigated Darlene’s past for exposure
to asbestos-containing products, the majority of which were used in industrial,
commercial, and military settings. An operator of a massage school, Darlene
had no exposure to these types of products. Darlene did, however, regularly
use Johnson’s Baby Powder throughout her life.
Having handled cases on behalf of hundreds of workers exposed to asbestos
from industrial talc used in the making of tires, it was suspected that
asbestos in Baby Powder was responsible for Darlene’s cancer. Research
revealed that talc used for cosmetic talc products like Johnson’s
Baby Powder, was sourced from the same mines as talc used for industrial
talc. Also, reports from the testing of cosmetic talc, in general, revealed
that many cosmetic talc products contained asbestos. Please
click here for the full article.
December 17, 2018