It’s the end of an era for Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder – the talc powder with a fragrance successfully branded to be equated with a well-cared for infant will no longer be sold in the United States and Canada. While the New Jersey based corporation attributed the decision to changes in consumer habits, years of lawsuits with claims of asbestos contamination are also a significant factor. (Talcum is a mineral which is mined in areas where asbestos, also a mineral yet known to be a carcinogen, may be present.)
Johnson & Johnson has been fending off nearly 20,000 lawsuits, some with success, others not so much. A 2018 jury awarded 22 plaintiffs $4.69 billion in damages. Johnson & Johnson has been accused of knowing about asbestos exposure through this particular product through decades of testing from 1971 to 2000 – yet failing to warn consumers.
Acknowledging the litigation struggles, the corporation continues support the product, citing misinformation and litigation advertising as the culprits. “We will continue to vigorously defend the product, its safety … in the courtroom,” Johnson & Johnson said. Further stating that “all verdicts against the company that have been through the appeals process have been overturned.”
Many plaintiffs claimed to have suffered from mesothelioma, is a type of cancer almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure, according to www.asbestos.com. Additional types of cancer, including lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer may also be related to asbestos exposure.
Here are several documents from Johnson & Johnson as well as it’s subsidiaries currently available on RealDealDocs.com:
Rule 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A) Certification
Johnson & Johnson Exhibit 31, Rule 13A-14(A)/15D-14(A) Certification
List Of Subsidiaries
Johnson & Johnson Exhibit 21 List Of Subsidiaries