Despite facing thousands of talcum powder lawsuit trials which allege the iconic Johnson & Johnson baby powder could potentially cause cancer, the company continues to maintain the product is safe and does not contain asbestos. Internal documents examined by Reuters, however, tell a different story—that the powder was tainted with carcinogenic asbestos and that Johnson & Johnson was aware of this, yet kept the information from consumers and from regulators as well. Johnson & Johnson baby powder asbestos is a serious issue, as asbestos has been known to be a significant contributor to certain types of cancer since 1934. Dr. Merewether and a research partner published a report in the 1930’s demonstrating asbestosis could occur among workers with as little as nine months of exposure, then concluded definitively in 1949 that asbestos was linked to occupational cancer.
Trusted Company Failed to Disclose Asbestos Issues
Perhaps even more distressing is that, according to an NBC new report, this corporation with a reputation for trustworthiness apparently failed to tell the FDA that at least three tests performed by different laboratories between 1972 and 1975 found asbestos in the talc J & J used in its baby powder—in one case, the levels were reported as “rather high.” Reuters examined many of the documents used during J & J talcum powder lawsuit trial testimony and found that from at least 1971 to the early 2000’s, the raw talc—as well as the finished powders—“sometimes” tested positive for asbestos. Further, according to Reuters, company executives, doctors, scientists, mine managers and the company lawyers “fretted” over the asbestos issue, trying to determine how to address the issue, yet consistently failed to disclose the issue to the public or to regulators.
Many Asbestos-Related Documents of J & J Shielded from Public View
A large number of the asbestos-related documents were shielded from public view via court orders in J & J’s favor. These court orders allowed the company to turn over thousands of documents designated as confidential without the public being able to view them. One report of potentially “tainted” Johnson & Johnson talcum powder came in reports from 1957 and 1958 which described “fibrous, acicular or needle-like” contaminants in the talc which could potentially be asbestos.
Similar reports were given to J & J throughout the next half a century, yet during that time the company never reported any findings of asbestos in their talc to the FDA or to the public. In fact, in 1976 as the FDA was placing limits on asbestos allowed in cosmetic talc products, Johnson & Johnson continued to assert there was no asbestos detected in any samples of talc produced between the end of 1972 and fall of 1973. The World Health Organization recognizes no safe levels of asbestos exposure.
$4.69 Billion Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson
A Johnson & Johnson talcum powder lawsuit resulted in a “watershed” verdict in St. Louis when 22 plaintiffs succeeded in a claim against J & J which alleged asbestos-tainted Johnson’s Baby Powder and Johnson’s Shower to Shower was responsible for their ovarian cancer. The plaintiffs were awarded $4.69 billion, although J & J has appealed the decision. A number of other J & J talcum powder lawsuits also resulted in large awards for the plaintiffs, although there were some J & J asbestos lawsuits which resulted in a victory for Johnson & Johnson. Independent laboratories tested samples of Shower to Shower talc from the 1990’s as well as samples from Johnson’s baby powers from past decades (the samples came from the medicine cabinets of plaintiffs, some were acquired from eBay, and even a 1978 baby powder bottle from the Johnson & Johnson corporate museum), finding asbestos in more than half of the samples. The level of asbestos in these samples was sufficient to “more likely than not” expose users to asbestos.
Helping Clients Who Have Suffered Asbestos Injury from J & J Talc Products
As the numbers of Johnson & Johnson talc lawsuits continue to rise, clients who have suffered serious injury as a result of using talcum powder which contains asbestos can be limited in their ability to meet related medical expenses. These victims of talcum powder with asbestos could have medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering and could benefit from the help US Claims can offer. The pre-settlement funding offered by US Claims can help your clients pay the unexpected expenses related to their talcum powder asbestos injuries in anticipation of a court judgment or settlement. At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding, if a case is qualified for pre-settlement funding then we would purchase a portion of the proceeds of the anticipated court judgment or settlement for some cash now. USClaims only gets paid if a case is won or has reached a settlement! Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more.
