Johnson & Johnson faces multi-million UK lawsuit over asbestos-contaminated baby powder
Thousands of people are suing pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, alleging it knowingly sold talcum powder in the UK that was contaminated with asbestos.
Up to 3,000 people claim that they or a family member developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using Johnson’s Baby Powder, and they are seeking damages at the High Court in London.
The group’s lawyers said in court filings on Thursday that Johnson & Johnson (J&J), along with current and former subsidiaries Johnson & Johnson Management and Kenvue UK, should all be held responsible.
They argue J&J “concealed” the risk from the public for decades, noting that the company has replaced talc with cornstarch in its UK baby powder since 2023.
A spokesperson for Kenvue, which was formerly part of J&J, said the talc used in baby powder complied with regulations, did not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.
Talc is a naturally occurring mineral extracted from the ground.
Michael Rawlinson KC, representing the claimants, said in court documents that “there are very few, if any, commercially exploited talc deposits in the world that do not contain asbestos and that all of the mines supplying the defendants contained asbestos”.
He added that reports from those mines, together with the company’s own research and existing scientific literature, would have alerted J&J to asbestos contamination.
Despite this, the company “suppressed information that might indicate that baby powder was contaminated with asbestos”, the barrister said.
He further alleged that J&J “lobbied regulators” to allow the product to remain on sale and sponsored studies to “downplay the dangers” to human health.
J&J therefore “acted in bad faith, to protect the reputation and profit-making potential of baby powder and the goodwill attached to their name”, Mr Rawlinson said.
Janet Fuschillo, one of the claimants, said she had used J&J’s baby powder since the 1960s and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer seven years ago.
The 75-year-old said: “I used talc on myself and all four of my children because we were told it was pure, and it was good for you.
“I used talc when changing nappies, after baths, all the time, for close to 50 years.
“It’s a source of great concern and anger that I used talc on my children.
Patricia Angell said her husband Edward died in 2006 aged 64, a few weeks after being diagnosed with mesothelioma.
She described him as a “perfectly fit, healthy man” who worked as an electrician and knew about asbestos.
She said: “When he fell ill the doctors asked him if he ever came into contact with asbestos and he told them he never had.
“He would come home from work and shower every day and use J&J’s talc.
“But he always used it because we were told it was, you know, pure.
“Talc was mentioned on Edward’s autopsy report, along with asbestos strains found in contaminated talc.”
She added that her husband had been “robbed” of 19 years of life while her children had been robbed of a father.
Mesothelioma, a form of cancer, is almost always caused by asbestos exposure, according to the NHS, and it commonly forms in the lungs after people inhale the microscopic fibres.
Mr Rawlinson said the method of applying the baby powder – squeezing or shaking the bottle – meant that “clouds” of powder lingered in the air “for a very long time after use” and were inhaled by the user.
A Kenvue spokesperson said: “We sympathise deeply with people living with cancer.
“We understand that they and their families want answers - that’s why the facts are so important.
“The safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder is backed by years of testing by independent and leading laboratories, universities and health authorities in the UK and around the world.
“The high-quality cosmetic grade talc that was used in Johnson’s Baby Powder was compliant with any required regulatory standards, did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.”
Deputy Editor
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