Britain's High Court hears first major talc cancer claim against J&J

More than 3,000 people have launched the first major lawsuits in Britain alleging that Johnson & Johnson's talc-based baby powder caused cancer, filing a group claim at the High Court in London on Thursday. The claim, brought on behalf of users and relatives who say they developed ovarian cancer, mesothelioma or other diseases after using Johnsons Baby Powder between 1965 and 2023, seeks damages estimated at around £1 billion, according to the law firm representing the group.

Lawyers for the claimants allege that Johnson & Johnson and associated companies, including Kenvue UK Limited, knew for decades that some talc supplies contained carcinogenic fibers, including asbestos, and that the companies failed to disclose the risk. Michael Rawlinson KC, representing the group, said in court documents that commercially exploited talc deposits commonly contain asbestos and that mines supplying the defendants showed evidence of contamination. He also alleged the company suppressed information, lobbied regulators, and sponsored studies that downplayed health risks. The claim covers products sold in Britain through 2023, the year Johnson & Johnson's former consumer health unit, now...