A Boston jury has awarded $8 million to a woman from Massachusetts, Janice Paluzzi, who developed mesothelioma after using Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder for many years. The jury found the company responsible for negligence and breach of warranty, concluding that the asbestos in their talc products led to her terminal cancer.
Paluzzi used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder for herself and her seven children over a span of 20 years. She was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2021. During the trial, her legal team presented evidence showing that Johnson & Johnson had known about asbestos contamination in its talc for decades but continued to market the products as safe.
Ben Braly, one of Paluzzi’s attorneys, stated, “Johnson & Johnson knew its talc Baby Powder could kill, and they chose to keep selling it anyway.” He expressed gratitude to the jury for holding the company accountable.
While the jury found Johnson & Johnson liable for some aspects, they did not find the company at fault for product warnings or breach of implied warranties. This verdict came during a retrial of the case after a mistrial was declared in 2024.
Johnson & Johnson has consistently denied any knowledge of safety issues with its talc products. The company argues that the science linking their talcum powder to cancer is flawed and claims the lawsuits against them lack merit.
The company is currently facing over 50,000 lawsuits related to its talcum powder, with some attempts to settle through bankruptcy filings for a subsidiary failing. In January, Johnson & Johnson contested a jury’s decision to award $30 million in punitive damages to another plaintiff who developed cancer after using their talcum powder.
In response to ongoing concerns, Johnson & Johnson stopped selling all talc-containing products in the U.S. in 2020.