Johnson & Johnson suffers another cancer-suit loss as talc case count climbs above 9,000
fiercepharma | May 24, 2018
In the second trial loss for Johnson & Johnson's talc products in as many months, a jury in Los Angeles ordered the company and other defendants to pay $25.75 million in damages to plaintiff Joanne Anderson. Anderson sued J&J and its co-defendants alleging the company's Baby Powder contains asbestos and caused her mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer linked with the substance. The jury originally handed down compensatory damages of $21.75 million after trial, and followed that up on Thursday with an award of $4 million in punitive damages, according to Androvett Legal Media. J&J is liable for two-thirds of the verdict amount. A J&J spokesperson said the company is "disappointed with the verdict and we will begin the appeals process." The company will "continue to defend the safety of our product because it does not contain asbestos or cause mesothelioma," she added.