Johnson & Johnson moves forward with talc claims involving asbestos

Johnson & Johnson announced this week that it is moving forward with a proposed settlement of $6.48 billion of 54,000 lawsuits alleging that its baby powder and other talc products contain asbestos and cause ovarian cancer.

The US multinational, pharmaceutical, and medical technologies corporation said it will now vote to reach consensus on a settlement of all current and future claims. 

The claims involved are centralised in a New Jersey federal court proceeding. J&J has earmarked $11 billion cover all the talc settlements.

Meanwhile, the industrial disease team continues to work with its US contacts and has recovered hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation for UK victims of historic talc exposure from US products.