Ramsey Co. jury awards $65.5 million to woman with cancer in Johnson & Johnson talc lawsuit
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 13: In this photo illustration, a container of Johnson's baby powder made by Johnson and Johnson sits on a table on July 13, 2018 in San Francisco, California. A Missouri jury has ordered pharmaceutical company Johnson and Jo (Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Ramsey County jury awarded $65.5 million to a mother who claimed she developed an aggressive cancer after using talcum powder products made by Johnson & Johnson.
Jury awards millions in talcum powder case
Local perspective:
After a 13-day trial, jurors determined Friday that Johnson & Johnson should compensate 37-year-old Anna Jean Houghton Carley, who used the company’s baby powder during childhood and later developed mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer linked to asbestos exposure.
Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal Friday’s verdict, maintaining that their baby powder is free of asbestos and does not cause cancer. The Associated Press notes that the company removed its talc-based baby powder from U.S. shelves in 2020 and stopped selling it worldwide in 2023.
Big picture view:
Johnson & Johnson has faced numerous lawsuits over claims that its talc products, including Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, have caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.
The Associated Press reports that earlier this month, jurors in Los Angeles awarded $40 million to two women who attributed their ovarian cancer to the company’s talc products. In October, a separate California jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $966 million in a mesothelioma death reportedly linked to asbestos-contaminated baby powder.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report.