3,000 Sue Johnson in UK Over Cancer-Causing Baby Powder

Around 3,000 people in the UK have filed a major lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (J&J), accusing the pharmaceutical giant of knowingly selling asbestos-contaminated talc-based baby powder for decades. The case, brought by law firm KP Law against J&J and its subsidiary Kenvue Ltd, alleges that the company was aware as early as the 1960s that its talc products contained asbestos-forming minerals like tremolite and actinolite, which are linked to deadly cancers.

Lawyers argue that J&J concealed these risks from the public while continuing to promote the product as safe for babies and families. The claimants are seeking over £1 billion in damages, potentially making this the largest product liability case in British history.

J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in North America in 2020, and globally by 2022, after facing thousands of similar lawsuits.

In court, lawyer Michael Rawlinson KC said J&J lobbied regulators and promoted studies to downplay the dangers. The company allegedly pushed the FDA to allow testing methods that wouldn’t detect small amounts of asbestos.

J&J denies the allegations. A Kenvue spokesperson insisted the talc used met regulatory standards, did not contain asbestos, and is not linked to cancer. They cited years of testing by global laboratories and health authorities to support their claims.

Claimants include individuals like Siobhan Ryan, diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer after decades of talc use, and Janet Fuschillo, who used it since the 1960s. Patricia Angell’s husband died of mesothelioma, a cancer almost always caused by asbestos exposure.

The lawsuit reflects growing global scrutiny of J&J’s talc products and raises urgent questions about corporate accountability, product safety, and consumer trust.