Firm has lost several court cases linking talc to ovarian cancer, but vows to appeal

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has been ordered by a US court to pay more than $110 million (£86 million) to a woman who says she developed ovarian cancer from using the company’s talcum powder. This is the largest award to arise out of several lawsuits against J&J over its talc-based products, with thousands more waiting to be resolved.

The company says it will appeal. While several case have so far gone against the company in jury trials, J&J spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said that a jury decision in its favour in St. Louis in March, and the dismissal of two cases in New Jersey in September 2016 ‘further highlight the lack of credible scientific evidence behind plaintiffs’ allegations.’ The state judge who dismissed the New Jersey cases ruled that plaintiffs’ scientific experts could not adequately support their theories that talcum powder causes ovarian cancer.