Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is facing its first legal battle in the United Kingdom over allegations that its talc-based products caused cancer — adding to the tens of thousands of similar lawsuits the company is already fighting in the United States.
The case was filed Tuesday in the English High Court against both J&J and Kenvue UK Limited, a subsidiary of Kenvue, the consumer health unit that J&J spun off in 2023.
Law firm KP Law said it is representing more than 3,000 claimants who allege they developed ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, or other illnesses as a result of using J&J baby powder between 1965 and 2023. The firm claims the products contained carcinogenic fibers, including asbestos, which has been linked to mesothelioma — a rare and deadly cancer. J&J has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that its talc products are safe and asbestos-free.
J&J referred inquiries to Kenvue, saying it “retained the responsibility and any purported liability for talc-related litigation outside of the United States and Canada.”
Kenvue said in a statement that J&J baby powder “did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.”
A global legal battle
In the U.S., J&J faces tens of thousands of similar lawsuits from individuals claiming they were diagnosed with cancer after using its talc products. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020 and made the same move in the U.K. in 2023, switching to a cornstarch alternative.
Efforts to resolve the U.S. litigation through bankruptcy have been rejected three times by federal courts.
Just last week, a U.S. court ordered J&J to pay $966 million to the family of a woman who died from mesothelioma — one of the largest awards against the company to date, though it may be reduced on appeal.
While U.S. courts can award large punitive damages — $950 million of that ruling was punitive — English courts generally limit compensation to direct losses. Judges can grant exemplary damages in cases of deliberate wrongdoing, but the sums are typically far lower than in U.S. verdicts.
KP Law estimated the total value of the lawsuit at approximately £1 billion ($1.34 billion). The cases will be decided by a judge, not a jury, in line with the U.K.’s civil court system.
Kenvue said in its statement that it believes a judge will conclude its talc-based baby powder does not cause cancer.
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