A Minnesota jury has awarded $65.5 million to a mother of three who said talcum products made by Johnson & Johnson contributed to her developing cancer.
According to the Associated Press and the Minnesota Star Tribune, jurors in Ramsey County District Court determined on Friday, Dec. 19 that Anna Jean Houghton Carley, 37, should be compensated after she used the company’s baby powder at various points in her life and was later diagnosed with mesothelioma — a cancer that often forms in the tissue around the lungs.
During the 13-day trial, Carley’s legal team argued the powder exposed her to asbestos, and that the company knew the talc-based product could be contaminated with the carcinogen. Erik Haas, the company’s worldwide vice president of litigation, countered that the baby powder is safe, did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.
Carley’s attorneys also said her family was not warned about potential risks when they used the baby powder on their child.
Carley was diagnosed earlier this year, the Star Tribune reported, and filed her lawsuit in March. The specific talc-based powder at issue was removed from U.S. shelves in 2020, according to AP. The $65.5 million figure is compensatory damages and reflects Carley’s past and future losses.
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Carley’s attorney, Ben Braly of the Dallas-based firm Dean Omar Branham Shirley, criticized the company in a statement, saying the verdict reflects what the family will endure because of the product. His firm also said it believes the decision is the largest asbestos-related verdict in Minnesota history.
“This case was not about compensation only. It was about truth and accountability,” Braly added.
Johnson & Johnson said it plans to appeal the verdict, along with other outcomes in similar talc-related cases. Haas said he expects an appellate court to overturn the decision.
In a post-verdict statement to AP, Haas said the lawsuits rely on “junk science,” adding that decades of studies show the company’s baby powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer. The company said it will continue to argue for what it calls “gold standard” science in court, and criticized the use of expert testimony it believes is unreliable.
The Minnesota decision is the latest development in a long-running wave of litigation alleging asbestos contamination in several talc products, including Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder. Plaintiffs have claimed the products were linked to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. Johnson & Johnson stopped selling talc-based powder worldwide in 2023.
Earlier this week, a jury in Los Angeles Superior Court awarded $40 million to two women who said the company’s baby powder caused their ovarian cancer, according to Reuters and AP. Haas said the company also plans to appeal that verdict.
