Johnson & Johnson Offers $6.5 Billion to Settle Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits

This is the third billion-dollar proposal to end actions alleging a link between ovarian cancer and the brand’s baby powder

A Johnson & Johnson announced Wednesday 1 a reorganization plan to permanently resolve current and emerging issues related to ovarian cancer cases allegedly caused by the use of brand-name talc in the United States. The company proposed to pay $6.475 billion – equivalent to more than R$33 billion – over a 25-year period, to those who report ovarian cancer problems.

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“The company has worked with attorneys representing the vast majority of talc plaintiffs to bring this litigation to a close, which we hope to do through this plan,” said Erik Haas, vice president of worldwide litigation at Johnson & Johnson. company statement to the press and investors.

According to Johnson & Johnson, the measure would resolve 99.75% of complaints. The other pending personal injury lawsuits are reportedly linked to mesothelioma – cancer that affects the mesothelium – and will be dealt with outside the so-called “Plan”. The company also said it has already settled 95% of these other lawsuits filed so far.

The Plan still needs to be approved to be put into practice. There will be a so-called application period, during which, for three months, applicants will be informed about the terms of the plan and will have to vote whether they are for or against the proposal.

Despite the settlement offer, Erik Haas claims the company has no connection to ovarian cancer cases. According to him, the actions are linked to the “distortion of scientific literature”.

“The talc lawsuits against (J&J) Group demonstrate the unprecedented impact of baseless lawsuits against US companies and extreme sentences obtained by plaintiffs,” it said. The talc in question has been withdrawn from the market.

Johnson & Johnson’s statement also says the company has won in about 95% of ovarian cancer cases judged to date the plan was released, and given the number of cases, it will take decades to complete the trials.

Previous proposals

This is the third deal offered by Johnson & Johnson. In April last year, the value was even higher: $8.9 billion. Previously, in 2022, the company had offered only $2 billion. In both cases the Court did not accept the proposals.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.