As a setback to the company, Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay US$18.8 million as compensation to a man in California who claimed that talcum has caused him cancer. The first trial involved the allegations that the talcum company has mislead the people about the dangers almost two years ago. After this, the company faced a flood of lawsuits claiming its talc products caused cancer.During the trial, judges also confirmed that the talcum powder has played a major role in causing mesothelioma, a kind of cancer to Anthony Hernandez Valadez. Despite a court order halting all litigation, Valadezs case was approved for trial as an exception due to Valadezs deteriorating health after J&J attempted to shield its talc liability in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.The jury found that Hernandez was entitled to damages to cover his medical costs and pain and suffering but decided not to punish the firm with punitive penalties.What happened after the case got filed back in 2020In 2020, Johnson & Johnson decided to discontinue sales of its talc-based baby powder in the United States. The company also planned to stop selling the product globally, offering a cornstarch version instead.It also planned to break off its consumer health business, which includes brands such as baby powder, Neutrogena, and Tylenol, into a stand-alone company, Kenvue.
