Pennsylvania verdict revives questions over talc-based baby powder safety as J&J appeals
Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتسابA jury in Pennsylvania on Friday, February 13, 2026, awarded $250,000 to the family of a woman who died of ovarian cancer after alleging long-term use of talc-based baby powder contributed to her illness, according to Reuters.
The jury awarded $50,000 in compensatory damages and $200,000 in punitive damages. Johnson & Johnson said it will appeal and reiterated it denies its talc products contain asbestos or cause cancer.
The case is part of a broader wave of litigation involving claims that talc products were contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen, allegations the company disputes.
On the scientific side, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluated talc as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A), and IARC materials also note that talc containing asbestos falls under the carcinogenic (Group 1) asbestos classification.
In Canada, Health Canada warns that breathing in loose talc powders can be harmful to the lungs and also flags potential ovarian cancer risk when talc-containing products are used in the genital area.
Johnson & Johnson previously wound down talc-based baby powder sales in the U.S. and Canada and later announced a global transition to cornstarch-based baby powder, discontinuing talc-based versions worldwide in 2023.
