April 5, 2023 – Johnson & Johnson has greater than quadrupled its offer to people claiming its asbestos-contaminated baby powder causes cancer, now offering them a complete of $8.9 billion.
At least 70,000 people have filed lawsuits against the corporate, that are still alleges no wrongdoing amid allegations that executives knew about questions of safety with the long-lasting talc-based powder products.
If the proposal is approved, it would be one in every of the biggest product liability settlements in U.S. history. NPR reported.
The amount is a rise from the corporate's $2 million settlement offer submitted in October 2021. If approved, the payout can be remodeled 25 years by a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary called LTL Management, which was created to guard its parent company from the talc litigation. The New York Times reported. The maneuver leads to the matter being handled in bankruptcy court.
Johnson & Johnson said in an announcement that the offer was supported by greater than 60,000 applicants.
The bankruptcy court settlement was fair and efficient, “provides timely compensation for plaintiffs and allows the company to continue to focus on its commitment to making a profound and positive impact on the health of humanity,” said Erik Haas, worldwide vice chairman of litigation at Johnson & Johnson, within the press release.
The Just reported that lawyers for many plaintiffs called the offer a “significant victory.”
A lawyer whose firm says it represents nearly 10,000 plaintiffs said the $8.9 billion offer was too low considering how many individuals the cash would need to be divided amongst.
“This is far from over,” said Brian Glasser, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, on the Twitter accountand called the announcement an “attempt to evade responsibility by offering the amount found in the company's seat cushions.”
If $8.9 billion were divided equally amongst 70,000 people, each would receive roughly $127,143.
Talcum powder, which absorbs moisture and reduces friction, is commonly utilized in cosmetic products for babies and adults since it absorbs moisture and reduces friction.
According to the American Cancer SocietyMost concerns concerning the link between talcum powder and cancer revolve around a potentially increased risk of lung cancer when it's inhaled, for instance by miners, and in addition a potentially increased risk of ovarian cancer when it's frequently utilized in the genital area. However, research linking it to ovarian cancer has produced mixed results, the organization concluded.
“One problem with research on this topic is that ovarian cancer is not common. For this reason, even the largest studies to date may not have been large enough to detect a very small increase in risk, if any at all,” explains the American Cancer Society.
Both talc and asbestos are naturally occurring minerals and might be present in close proximity underground. FDA explained. Asbestos is a known carcinogen. The FDA frequently tests a sample of talc-based cosmetic products for asbestos.
Johnson & Johnson stopped selling talc-containing baby powder within the United States in 2020. That same 12 months, the FDA found small amounts of asbestos in a bottle purchased online. CBS News reported, adding that the corporate said 15 tests of the identical bottle conducted by two labs it contracted found no asbestos. In 2022, Johnson & Johnson will announced The company will only sell corn starch-based baby powder and can stop selling talc-based baby powder worldwide by this 12 months.