Johnson & Johnson paying ‘misled’ consumers $700M

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — US pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $700 million to settle allegations it misled customers about the safety of its talcum-based powder products, New York’s attorney general announced Tuesday.

In its settlement with 42 states and the District of Columbia, Johnson & Johnson did not admit wrongdoing, even though it withdrew the product from the North American market in 2020.

The New Jersey-based company announced a settlement in principle in January after facing thousands of lawsuits over talcum powder containing traces of asbestos blamed for causing ovarian cancer.

“No amount of money can undo the pain caused by Johnson & Johnson’s talc-laced products, but today families can rest assured that the company is being held accountable for the harm it caused,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

The state of New York will receive $44 million of the settlement amount, which must be paid in four installments over three years.

In a statement to Agence France-Presse, Johnson & Johnson Worldwide vice president of Litigation Erik Haas said the company “continues to pursue several paths to achieve a comprehensive and final resolution of the talc litigation.”