Johnson & Johnson has offered to pay up to $5.5 bn (£4.14 bn) to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its talc‑based baby powder caused ovarian cancer.
The proposed settlement would cover about 69,000 cases—almost all remaining claims—in a long‑running legal battle that has weighed on the company for years.
J&J says it denied any link between its products and cancer, changed the formula of its baby powder, and wants the matter behind it so it can focus on developing life‑saving medicines.
The offer, to be approved by 95% of the attorneys representing the cases, follows a federal court that questioned plaintiff evidence linking talc to ovarian cancer.
J&J has stopped selling talc‑based baby powder worldwide since 2022, switching to cornstarch‑based products.
