Johnson & Johnson produced baby powder made with crushed talc, a mineral that can become contaminated with asbestos during the mining process. J&J continues to face billions of dollars in asbestos exposure lawsuits.
Written by D. Carl Money | Edited by Amy Edel | Last Update: January 29, 2026
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Johnson & Johnson continues to defend itself in court against new and ongoing mesothelioma lawsuits seeking compensation for exposure to asbestos-contaminated talc in its products. The company attempted to resolve litigation through bankruptcy reorganization under the Texas Two-Step, but the courts rejected these attempts 3 times. After the most recent rejection in April 2025, J&J announced it would abandon bankruptcy proceedings and instead defend each case individually in court.
Talc lawsuits aim to prove asbestos exposure during the use of J&J’s baby powder and other talc products. While the company claims to have settled 95% of mesothelioma cases, it has spent approximately $1 billion fighting litigation and still faces more than 60,000 ovarian cancer claims. Courts have awarded billions of dollars to people who successfully proved their asbestos exposure came from J&J’s talc-based products.
People diagnosed with asbestos-related cancers like mesothelioma and ovarian cancer benefit from early legal counsel to review your options for financial assistance for medical expenses, lost wages and other diagnosis-related costs. Without a successful bankruptcy attempt, J&J, unlike many other companies facing asbestos claims, doesn’t have an asbestos trust fund. However, compensation from lawsuits typically exceeds trust fund payouts.
An experienced mesothelioma lawyer will navigate the complex legal process for you if you or a loved one has been exposed to Johnson & Johnson’s asbestos-contaminated talc. Your attorney will build a strong case based on medical evidence and product exposure history to secure compensation for you.
Patient Advocates understand the importance of working with a lawyer with a proven track record in cases like yours. They also know how essential it is for you and your family to feel comfortable working with your legal team throughout the process. They’ll match you with respected legal professionals specializing in asbestos-contaminated talc cases and who will respect your needs and preferences.
Your Patient Advocate will also connect you with leaders in cutting-edge mesothelioma treatment, schedule your appointments and offer ongoing support throughout your journey. They’ll provide you with free resources on treatment options and nutrition, navigate insurance and VA benefits claims for you and connect you with support groups for patients and caregivers.
When filing a mesothelioma claim, the right legal representation is everything. We’ll connect you to a top lawyer who will help you secure financial compensation.
Start Your ClaimJ&J reports settling 95% of the mesothelioma lawsuits it has faced, but plaintiffs continue filing new claims. In October 2025, a Los Angeles jury awarded a record $966 million to the family of Mae K. Moore in a wrongful death lawsuit against J&J, finding the company 100% responsible for her mesothelioma death from asbestos-contaminated talcum powder.
This historic talc verdict, the largest at the time for an individual talc plaintiff, included $16 million in noneconomic damages for Moore and her three daughters. It also included $950 million in punitive damages after the jury determined J&J acted with “malice, oppression or fraud.” Court documents revealed decades of internal company records showing J&J allegedly knew since the 1930s about asbestos contamination in talc, failed to successfully remove it, withheld positive test results and destroyed evidence of asbestos findings. Latest J&J Asbestos Lawsuit Developments
The company pursued multiple bankruptcy strategies through subsidiaries in an attempt to resolve the massive volume of remaining claims, particularly ovarian cancer lawsuits. A U.S. Bankruptcy Judge in Texas rejected J&J’s $10 billion talc settlement proposal in April 2025. This marked the third time the company’s bankruptcy strategy failed in court. Instead of appealing the latest ruling, J&J announced it plans to litigate each case individually in court.
Daniel Wasserberg, a mesothelioma lawyer and founder of nationwide asbestos law firm Meirowitz & Wasserberg, explained, “Johnson & Johnson [was] really trying to take advantage of the bankruptcy code for asbestos. It would create a terrible precedent for big successful companies to just exit litigation.”
Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder was made with talc, a mineral that naturally occurs near asbestos deposits. During the mining process, talc can become contaminated with asbestos fibers. Lab tests show asbestos in J&J talc from at least 1971 to the early 2000s. The company never reported those findings to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
When people use asbestos-contaminated talc products, they can inhale or ingest microscopic asbestos fibers. These fibers can lodge in the lungs, abdomen or other organs, potentially causing mesothelioma decades later. Women who used J&J’s baby powder for feminine hygiene may have increased risk of ovarian cancer.
The company discontinued talc-based baby powder in North America in 2020, citing declining sales and claiming “misinformation” about the product’s safety. J&J switched to cornstarch-based ingredients after public concerns increased. However, J&J maintains that its cosmetic talc products were asbestos-free and safe, despite mounting evidence and jury verdicts to the contrary.
Johnson & Johnson incorporated talc into various personal care products throughout its history. Johnson’s Baby Powder was the company’s flagship talc-based product and remained on store shelves for more than a century.
The iconic white bottle, with its distinctive baby scent, became a household staple worldwide. J&J marketed the powder not only for infant care but also for adult personal hygiene use.
J&J’s Talc Products
Johnson & Johnson sold the Shower to Shower brand in 2012, but lawsuits continue to hold it responsible for earlier asbestos exposure. Though J&J spun off Neutrogena along with other brands in its consumer health division into Kenvue in 2023, J&J retained all liabilities for talc litigation in the U.S.
The company phased out talc-based products in North America in 2020 but continued selling them in other markets before ultimately discontinuing talc baby powder globally in 2023. J&J now offers cornstarch-based alternatives, though the company continues to maintain that its talc products were safe and asbestos-free.
How Talcum Powder is Linked to Mesothelioma
[MUSIC PLAYING] Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos. And that can occur through products that contain asbestos like insulation or even when that asbestos occurs in consumer products, such as talcum powder. Typically, women who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma didn’t know where their asbestos exposure came from. We at Simmons have done the investigation and know the companies that use talcum powder contaminated with asbestos that have led to this terrible disease. If you were diagnosed with mesothelioma and you use talcum powder in your life, you may have a case, which is why you need to speak with a mesothelioma attorney. [MUSIC PLAYING]
Millions of consumers used Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based baby powder over multiple decades. The powder was marketed as safe for daily use, leading many people to apply it frequently for years or even decades. Various groups faced different levels of exposure risk when using or working with J&J’s asbestos-contaminated talc products.
Factory workers who manufactured or packaged J&J’s talc products may have been exposed to higher concentrations of asbestos-contaminated dust. Miners and mill workers involved in extracting and processing the talc used in J&J products faced elevated exposure risks.
Higher-Risk Groups for J&J Asbestos Exposure
A 2024 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that women who used talcum powder on the genitals could develop ovarian cancer. Other studies have shown that people who work with talc or use talcum powder may be at risk for mesothelioma.
“Talc continues to pose a risk to consumers due to its historic contamination with asbestos,” registered nurse Sean Marchese said. “Companies have known for years about this danger and how exposure can lead to cancer. Understanding the hazards of these products can help people protect themselves.”
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Asbestos.com. (2026, February 12). Johnson & Johnson. Retrieved February 13, 2026, from https://www.asbestos.com/companies/johnson-johnson/
"Johnson & Johnson." Asbestos.com, 12 Feb 2026, https://www.asbestos.com/companies/johnson-johnson/.
Asbestos.com. "Johnson & Johnson." Last modified February 12, 2026. https://www.asbestos.com/companies/johnson-johnson/.
D. Carl Money is an attorney at Nemeroff Law. He has devoted his career to fighting for workers diagnosed with mesothelioma and their families. Money has more than 25 years of experience fighting for people with asbestos-related diseases. He’s licensed in Texas, New York, England and Wales and belongs to various legal organizations across the U.S. and U.K.
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