Thousands of cancer patients are now involved in legal action against Johnson & Johnson, who claim its toxic baby powder is now killing one person every three days.
The case is set to become the largest product liability case in UK history, following opening remarks in the High Court on Wednesday.
Some 7,111 claimants allege that the US pharmaceutical company was aware as early as 1960 that its talcum powder contained asbestos linked to cancer.
It then allegedly continued to sell baby powder containing the contaminated talc in the UK.
All claimants involved say they or a close family member developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma – a rare type of cancer that can develop in the lining of organs, which is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.
J&J denies the allegation as well as any claims that it knowingly sold baby powder contaminated with asbestos.
But KP Law, the claimants’ legal representative, says one claimant is now dying from cancer every three days, highlighting the need for urgent action.
As such, they say the defendant’s requests for information ‘tantamount to a full witness statement from each claimant,’ is stalling proceedings and serves no clear benefit.
There High court claim says Johnston & Johnston knowingly sold product containing asbestos and ‘concealed’ risk to public
J&J’s lawyers, however, believe this framing is ‘wrong, unjustified and unhelpful,’ arguing that the information they have requested from each patient is ‘reasonable and fair’ and do not ‘intend to stifle claims.’
The claimants are now asking the court for a group litigation order, which will allow all cases to be heard together, the BBC reports.
Margaret Manion, who signed up to the claim in 2024 after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April, is just one of many women who have passed away since the claim was filed in October last year.
She previously said her mother used baby powder on her as an infant, and Margaret continued to use the talc every day as an adult – as well as on her own children.
Her partner, Tony Bowden, from Longfield in Kent, described her diagnosis as a ‘bombshell’ adding that the two years of her diagnoses ‘were the most painful experience ever, for Margaret and her family.’
KP Law’s case rests on claims that J&J never issued warnings on the packaging of its baby powder and instead marketed it as a symbol of safety – despite ‘very few’ talc mines existing which do not contain asbestos.
Talc is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined from the ground.
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But J&J denies this allegation, stating that the baby powder was of a ‘high-quality cosmetic grade, compliant with required regulatory standards and did not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.’
The sale of baby powder containing talc stopped in the UK in 2023.
The hearing is due to conclude today, Thursday 30 April, with a judgement at a later date. It is likely to be years before the overall case concludes.
There are around 7,700 new cases of ovarian cancer in the UK a year.
Whilst there is limited evidence that talcum powder can cause the disease, if the talc contains asbestos, the cancer-causing particles can enter the reproductive tract and travel to the ovaries where the toxic fibres can cause inflammation and lead to the development of ovarian cancer.
Women who use talc regularly have been shown to have a 36 per cent higher risk of ovarian cancer studies show.
As such, according to the World Health Organisation, asbestos-contaminated talc is considered potentially carcinogenic to humans.
