J&J to Pay $700 Million to Settle States’ Talc Investigation
- Tentative deal exceeds J&J’s $400 million set-aside for cases
- More than 40 states probing whether powder risks were hidden
The settlement would avert potential lawsuits alleging that J&J hid any links between the talc in its powder and various cancers.
Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesJohnson & Johnson has tentatively agreed to pay about $700 million to resolve an investigation by more than 40 US states into claims that it wrongfully marketed its talc-based baby powder by not warning about possible health risks, according to people familiar with the deal.
The settlement would avert potential lawsuits alleging that J&J hid any links between the talc in its powder and various cancers, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the pact isn’t yet public. They said J&J and representatives for state attorneys general are still hammering out the specific terms of the accord but have reached an agreement on the approximate total amount.