Friday, March, 29, 2024 05:46:18

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has reportedly been ordered by a California jury to pay a compensation amount of US$ 29 million to a woman who is reported to be diagnosed with cancer following the use of J&J talcum powder-based products, that were recently found to be containing cancer-causing asbestos.

As per trusted sources, the latest verdict, issued by California Superior Court, Oakland, marks the defeat of the healthcare giant, which has recently been facing over 13,000 talc-related litigations around the nation. The panel, comprising a state court judge and a lawyer, has held the company liable for Ms. Teresa Leavitt’s cancer called Mesothelioma, which is caused by exposure to asbestos, and claims that the carcinogen-tainted J&J baby powder she used did not contain any forewarning. Sources added that the company did not disclose any further details regarding the alleged errors that took place during the trial.

In a public statement, J&J elaborated that the company respects the legal procedures and reiterated that the jury verdicts are not scientific, medical or regulatory assumptions about a product. The company is still denying the charges put against its products and is arguing that various tests and studies by regulators around the world have so far showed that its talc is harmless, asbestos-free.

If reports are to be believed, Ms. Leavitt’s talc case is the first one to go to trial after regulatory reports detailed that J&J was aware of the hazardous content of some of its products, in spite of which, the company did not warn consumers of it. Reportedly, the trial involved Imerys Talc America, J&J’s talc supplier, as a co-defendant.

According to a report, post the announcement of the verdict, J&J stock declined by about 2 per cent to US$ 136.40 and it recently closed at US$ 139.41 in New York. The shares of the company have been facing growth hurdles over the last six months, given the increasing talc-related lawsuits.