J&J offers $5.5bn to settle baby powder lawsuits over cancer link

Johnson & Johnson has announced a $5.5 billion settlement to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits linking its talc-based products, including baby powder, to ovarian cancer. The pharmaceutical giant revealed the proposed agreement on Monday, July 27, 2026, aiming to bring an end to approximately 69,000 to 76,000 cases in federal and state courts. This move is contingent on at least 95% of the remaining claimants agreeing to participate.

The company has consistently denied that its talc products caused cancer, asserting that decades of scientific research support their safety and that the products do not contain asbestos. Despite maintaining its stance, Johnson & Johnson stated that the settlement offers an efficient resolution to over 15 years of litigation, allowing the company to move forward and concentrate on its core medical and pharmaceutical businesses.

This recent development follows several past attempts by Johnson & Johnson to resolve the talc litigation, including prior bankruptcy filings by a subsidiary, which were ultimately rejected by courts. The new settlement also comes after a recent favorable ruling by a federal court that raised doubts about individual plaintiffs' ability to definitively prove talc caused their ovarian cancer. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020 and globally in 2023.