Johnson & Johnson faces UK lawsuit over talc cancer claim

LONDON: Thousands of UK claimants have filed legal action against US pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson alleging people diagnosed with cancers were exposed to asbestos in its talcum powder, lawyers said Thursday.

The company has faced a series of similar lawsuits in North America, with the latest UK claim filed in the High Court in London.

The law firm representing around 3,000 complainants in Britain said the compensation claim “is estimated to be more than £1 billion” ($1.3 billion).

They allege that either they or a family member developed forms of ovarian cancer or mesothelioma from using J&J’s Baby Powder. “The claim, which covers the period from 1965 to 2023, details how Johnson & Johnson knew that their talc products contained carcinogenic fibres, including asbestos, for more than 50 years,” KP Law said.