Johnson and Johnson to pay US$72 mln in lawsuit
Johnson and Johnson (J&J) was ordered to pay US$72 million to a woman who died of ovarian cancer, allegedly because of the use of the company’s talcum powder.
A jury in the state of Missouri, US, ordered J&J to pay the family Jacqueline Fox who dies of ovarian cancer after using H&H’s talc powder for decades. She used talc powder for 35 years until she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer three years ago. She died at age 62.
Jere Beasley, a lawyer for Fox’s family, told journalists that Johnson & Johnson “knew as far back as the 1980s of the risk,” and yet resorted to “lying to the public, lying to the regulatory agencies.”
Fox’s family claims the company didn’t warn its consumers on the health effects of their powder. The company says these claims are unproven.
Carol Goodrich, a company spokeswoman said: “We have no higher responsibility than the health and safety of consumers, and we are disappointed with the outcome of the trial. We sympathise with the plaintiff’s family but firmly believe the safety of cosmetic talc is supported by decades of scientific evidence.”
Several other lawsuits against the powder company are set to begin next year, according to Danielle Mason, another representative of the Fox family.
