Symbol copyright Getty Pictures Image caption Johnson & Johnson said the safety of its talcum powder is supported via a long time of scientific evidence
Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $4.7bn (£3.6bn) in damages to 22 ladies who alleged that its talc products caused them to strengthen ovarian cancer.
A jury in the US state of Missouri first of all provided $550m in repayment and introduced $4.1bn in punitive damages.
the verdict comes because the pharmaceutical massive battles some 9,000 criminal circumstances concerning its signature talcum powder.
J&J stated it used to be “deeply dissatisfied” and plans to enchantment.
In the six week trial, the ladies and their families stated they advanced ovarian cancer after the usage of baby powder and other talc merchandise for many years.
Their lawyers alleged the corporate knew its talcum powder was once infected with asbestos since the nineteen seventies but failed to warn shoppers concerning the risks.
The corporate denied that its products ever contained asbestos and insisted that they don’t result in cancer.
The pharmaceutical large delivered that several research have shown its talcum powder to be protected and insisted the verdict was a made from a “essentially unfair process”.
Record verdict
the verdict is the most important payout J&J has confronted over allegations its talc merchandise cause most cancers.
a prior ruling in 2017 via a California jury awarded $417m (£323.4m) to a lady who said she developed ovarian most cancers after the usage of the firm’s merchandise including baby powder.
However, a pass judgement on later overturned that verdict and a number of other other prison demanding situations via J&J are yet to be decided.
Punitive damages are sometimes reduced by the trial pass judgement on or on appeal, and J&J has succeeded in having a few jury verdicts overturned, some of them on technical grounds.
