Johnson & Johnson is on the verge of settling more than 50,000 lawsuits alleging that the use of its widely-used talc baby powder led to claimants developing ovarian cancer. J&J’s subsidiary LLT Management has drafted a new plan called “Plan of Reorganization” to pay ovarian cancer claimants around $6.48 billion over 25 years to resolve 99.75% of its U.S.-based talc lawsuits.
According to the company, this plan is in the best interest of claimants, who “have not recovered and will not recover anything at trial.” J & J maintains this is a win-win for claimants in talc lawsuits since most cases would take decades to litigate in court. Now, ovarian cancer claimants have three months to vote for or against J&J’s plan.
Not everyone believes this is a win-win scenario for claimants involved in these talc lawsuits. According to a leading firm in asbestos litigation, the blanket settlement may not be in the best interest of claimants or their families.
They believe the lawsuit payout is grossly inadequate, coming out to a mere 43K per case before liens and attorney fees. Claimants would likely forfeit their rights to future litigation once they accept the offer.
Cases not covered under this plan include personal injury lawsuits tied to claims that J&J’s cosmetic talc products caused the aggressive cancer known as mesothelioma. The cancer usually forms around the lungs and is associated with asbestos exposure. In a press release, J&J claims it has already resolved 95% of mesothelioma lawsuits filed and plans to address the remaining claims outside of its new reorganization plan.
Rethinking Safety: Hidden Dangers in Everyday Bath and Cosmetic Products
Consumers tend to have a common expectation that the products they use on their skin and consume meet certain safety standards. The majority of companies take the necessary steps to conduct rigorous testing on a new product before releasing it for sale to the public.
The companies that manufacture these products also must adhere to production standards to ensure consumer safety. The slightest mistake can lead to a consumer’s illness or bacterial contamination.
Over the past 10 to 15 years, a wave of lawsuits regarding dangerous product contamination. has continued to hit the health and beauty business. Unlike commonly filed lawsuits citing bacteria and unsanitary manufacturing conditions, these litigation cases are based on contamination with a known carcinogen.
Most of these lawsuits allege that talc powder had asbestos contamination – a known carcinogen. The question is how does a carcinogen like asbestos end up in products made to use on the human body?
Talcum Powder and Cancer: Unraveling the Link
Over the past 20 years, countless studies have shown a correlation between the use of talcum body powder and cancer. Talcum powder is made from talc. The mineral known as talc is mined from the earth and found in close proximity to asbestos. Asbestos is known to be carcinogenic to humans and the substance is linked to various types of cancer.
Unfortunately, cross-contamination of talc and asbestos can occur even with proper mining of the substance and testing procedures aimed at extracting talc only. The direct link to cancer diagnosis and proposed health risks of asbestos-laced talcum powder has led to controversy about its safety.
Talcum powder is considered the softest mineral and is known for its great absorption abilities, which has led to humans using it to prevent moisture, keep skin dry, and prevent rash prevention. Talc appears in hygiene products such as Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and in many cosmetics products.
Talc’s Hidden Dangers: A Comprehensive Examination
Prolonged exposure to talc can lead to talc inhalation, which over extended periods of time can cause cell damage and inflammation.
A person inhaling talc dust over a long period has a greater risk of developing health problems from talc powder poisoning including pulmonary heart disease, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma, lung cancer, and certain reproductive cancers all have an association with asbestos exposure. There is no safe level of asbestos exposure, meaning that consumers should avoid it entirely if possible. Unfortunately, the mines that produce talc for health and beauty companies often have veins of asbestos nearby. There are records dating back decades showing that some of the biggest health and beauty companies knew that asbestos contamination affected the quality of the talc included in their products.
Instead of carefully mining only in safe areas and consistently testing talc for contamination, companies mined carelessly and ignored the possibility of contaminated batches endangering public health. The result has been a surprising surge in cases of mesothelioma and other cancers in those with no professional exposure to asbestos.
