Johnson & Johnson baby powder contained asbestos – thousands take legal action over links to cancer
A major court case has been launched in the UK against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J), accusing the company of knowingly selling baby powder that contained asbestos – a substance known to cause cancer.
The lawsuit involves about 3 000 people who say J&J’s popular talcum powder caused them to develop serious illnesses, including ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.
According to court papers, internal company documents and scientific studies show that J&J may have known since the 1960s that its talc sometimes contained trace amounts of asbestos, but continued to market it as safe and gentle for babies.
Lawyers for the claimants say the company ignored the risks and misled customers for decades through advertising that promoted the powder as “pure” and “trustworthy”.
@itvnews Thousands of people are taking legal action against pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, claiming it knowingly sold asbestos-contaminated talcum powder in the UK. As many as 3,000 people have alleged that either they or a family member developed forms of ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, another form of cancer, from using Johnson’s Baby Powder. A spokesperson for Kenvue, which was formerly part of J&J, said the talc used in baby powder complied with regulations, did not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.#itvnews ♬ original sound – itvnews
J&J has strongly denied the allegations, insisting its baby powder “met all safety standards, did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.”
The company stopped selling its talc-based baby powder in the UK and other markets in 2023, replacing it with a cornstarch version.
The case marks the first time the company has faced such large-scale legal action in Britain, although J&J has already faced thousands of similar lawsuits in the United States.
In 2022 Tiger Brands recalled Purity Essentials Baby Powder products from South Africa as a precautionary measure after trace levels of asbestos were detected in test samples from a batch of pharmaceutical-grade talc powder used as raw material in the production of finished powder products.
For many long-time customers, the news is a shocking reminder that even the most trusted household brands are not as pure as they seem.
IOL Lifestyle