$110 Million Verdict in Talcum Powder Lawsuit

August 10, 2017

Of the more than 2,400 lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson and its talc supplier Imerys Talc, the $110 million award to Lois Slemp is the largest verdict seen so far.

Virginian resident Lois Slemp’s claim was that, as a direct result of four decades of using both Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower powder, she developed ovarian cancer, which has now spread to her liver.

“Once again we’ve shown that these companies ignored the scientific evidence and continue to deny their responsibilities to the women of America,” one of Slemp’s attorneys stated.

This verdict follows several large verdicts in favor of plaintiffs and one in favor of the company.

Johnson & Johnson continues to assert that medical experts around the world support the safety of cosmetic talc, while litigants continue to maintain that the association between genital talc usage and ovarian cancer remains an issue of public health.

In February of last year, a Missouri state jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million to the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer after years of using talcum powder for feminine hygiene. Then, in May 2016, another jury in Missouri awarded $55 million to a woman who said the company’s talcum powder products caused her to develop ovarian cancer. Johnson & Johnson was hit with a third verdict in October for $67.5 million.