Abu dhabi: Johnson and Johnson announced on Monday it would pay an estimated $5.5 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its baby powder and other talc products cause ovarian cancer, marking a significant resolution in a long-standing legal conflict that has troubled the company for a decade.
According to Emirates News Agency, the settlement covers approximately 76,000 claims, including those consolidated in federal court in New Jersey and related cases in state courts, representing nearly all of the remaining talc claims against the company. This settlement follows previous agreements by J and J to resolve most cases alleging that its talc contained asbestos and caused mesothelioma.
Plaintiffs' law firms confirmed the agreement on Monday, describing it as a satisfactory conclusion to a decade-long court battle. For the deal to become final, it requires acceptance by 95 percent of the ovarian cancer claimants in both state and federal courts.