Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay US$966 million to the family of Mae Moore, after a Los Angeles Superior Court jury ruled on October 6 that her life-long use of Johnson & Johnson baby powder containing asbestos caused her 2021 death from mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer.
Jessica Dean, the Moore family’s lawyer, said they were pleased the jury held Johnson & Johnson accountable. On the other hand, Erik Haas, the company’s worldwide vice president of litigation, announced that Johnson & Johnson would appeal the decision, calling the verdict “egregious and unconstitutional.”
Johnson & Johnson currently faces more than 70,000 cases related to cancer deaths allegedly caused by its baby powder, which it withdrew from the market in 2023. The company has spent more than $3 billion settling lawsuits over its asbestos-containing talc products.
According to plaintiffs, Johnson & Johnson had known since the 1970s that its talc contained cancer-causing asbestos, an allegation the company has consistently denied.
According to the Mesothelioma Center, asbestos kills more than 40,000 Americans each year from malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
Once hailed as an incredibly versatile natural mineral around the world, used across a wide variety of industrial applications, asbestos is today banned by numerous countries. Where it is still used, strict regulations and enforcement govern its handling. So, what exactly is asbestos, and why is it so dangerous? Click on to find out.