After a 6-week trial in St. Louis Circuit Court, the jury awarded $4.14 billion in punitive damages and another $550 million in compensation.
Experts told the jury that asbestos is commonly mixed with talcum powder in Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower.
Lawyers for the women also told the jury that asbestos and talc particles were found in the ovaries of many of the women with cancer.
Johnson & Johnson is facing lawsuits from over 9,000 women who claim that its talc products contributed to their ovarian cancer. Johnson & Johnson denies that its products contain asbestos or cause cancer.
Six of the 22 women in the trial have already died from ovarian cancer. All of the women accuse Johnson & Johnson of failing to warn about the potential hazards of using talcum powder for feminine hygiene.
The debate over the cancer risks of talcum powder began in the early 1970s, when scientists discovered talc particles in ovarian cancer tissues. This led the FDA to ban asbestos in cosmetic talc products.
Source: Nearly $4.7 billion awarded in Johnson & Johnson baby powder lawsuit