Thousands Sue Johnson & Johnson in UK Over Alleged Cancer-Linked Baby Powder
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is facing a massive legal challenge in the United Kingdom, where more than 3,000 people have filed a lawsuit accusing the company of knowingly selling asbestos-contaminated baby powder linked to cancer.
The case, filed by law firm KP Law against J&J and its subsidiary Kenvue Ltd, alleges that the company was aware since the 1960s that its talc-based baby powder contained fibrous minerals such as tremolite and actinolite – both classified as asbestos when in fibrous form. The claim, supported by internal documents and scientific reports obtained by the BBC, asserts that J&J failed to disclose this risk to consumers while continuing to market its product as safe and pure.
According to the court filing, J&J not only withheld warnings about potential contamination but also launched aggressive marketing campaigns that portrayed its talcum powder as gentle enough for babies. The claimants argue that this strategy misled millions of families and contributed to cases of ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases.
J&J, however, denies all allegations. In a statement, the company said its baby powder “was compliant with all regulatory standards, did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.” Kenvue, now responsible for J&J’s consumer health division, echoed this defence, stating that decades of independent testing had confirmed the product’s safety.
The sale of J&J’s talc-based baby powder was discontinued in the UK in 2023, three years after it was pulled from the US market.
Documents cited in the UK case allegedly reveal internal discussions from the 1970s in which J&J executives debated whether to keep findings about asbestos contamination confidential. Other papers suggest that the company lobbied US regulators to adopt less sensitive asbestos detection methods, allowing trace contamination to go undetected.
Lawyers for the claimants say the case could become the largest product liability lawsuit in British history, with potential damages running into hundreds of millions of pounds.
One claimant, 63-year-old Siobhan Ryan from Somerset, told the BBC that she developed stage four ovarian cancer after decades of using J&J’s baby powder. “My mother used it, and I used it on my babies. I thought I was doing the right thing,” she said. “They knew it was contaminated and still sold it to new mums.”
The UK action mirrors ongoing litigation in the United States, where J&J has faced thousands of similar lawsuits and billions of dollars in damages – some of which have been overturned on appeal.
Earlier this month, a Connecticut court ordered J&J to pay $25 million to a man diagnosed with terminal cancer linked to lifelong use of its baby powder. The judge in that case said the company continued to sell talc-based products despite knowing safer alternatives, like cornstarch, were available.
While J&J maintains its innocence, medical experts continue to warn of the potential health risks associated with prolonged talc use. The outcome of the UK lawsuit could set a major precedent for corporate accountability and consumer safety in product manufacturing.
