Talcum Powder Lawsuit

People are filing talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) and associated companies for selling talcum powder products that allegedly lead to the development of ovarian cancer. In these cases, women and their families allege that regular and prolonged exposure to products like Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder caused their cancer.

Other plaintiffs have alleged that they’ve developed cancers like fallopian tube cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma may develop after exposure to asbestos-contaminated talc.

Plaintiffs in these talcum powder lawsuits seek compensatory and punitive damages for the injuries that have disrupted their lives.

At the beginning of July 2025, 63,693 active lawsuits had been filed as part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) action in federal court. These cases are coordinated for pretrial discovery in In re Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2738, overseen by Judge Michael A. Shipp.

Female talcum powder uses

Talc is a naturally occurring mineral mined from the earth. It is refined and milled to create talc products, including talcum powder, cosmetics, baby powder or body powder. People may use these products in their daily hygiene routine.

Using talcum powder on the genitals and perineal area has been associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Scientists think talcum powder applied to the genital area may travel to the ovaries, causing inflammation. This may happen if the product is directly applied to the area or a sanitary napkin.

You may be eligible to bring a personal injury lawsuit against manufacturers of talcum powder product if:

• You regularly used talcum powder products.
• You are diagnosed with cancer linked to talc products.
• A talcum powder product is linked to your cancer diagnosis.

The most common defendants in talcum powder product cases are Johnson & Johnson and its various subsidiaries. They represent manufacturers and distributors of several talc-containing products.

Previous defendants include Imerys Talc America, Inc. and Personal Care Products Council (PCPC). Imerys is a talc mining and distribution company that supplied Johnson & Johnson’s talc. PCPC is an American trade organization for the cosmetics and personal care products industries. It influences governmental agencies on issues concerning the marketing and sales practices of these products. The council’s actions have had an impact on the talc product landscape in the U.S.

More than 63,000 people have filed lawsuits alleging harm caused by the genital use of talcum powder products. Because of the large volume of talc cases, federal district courts have coordinated many lawsuits into a single multidistrict litigation (MDL) docket. Coordination can ease the burden on district courts while still allowing injured parties to individually pursue justice for the harms they experience.

What kind of damages are available in a talcum powder lawsuit?

Damages may help compensate individuals for their injuries. They may be informally called “payouts” or more accurately called "settlements" or "judegements" depending on how an agreement was reached. In talcum powder or baby powder lawsuits, “injury” encompasses ovarian cancers.

In a talc-related lawsuit, you may be eligible to sue for damages for:

• Healthcare costs associated with injuries caused by talcum powder use
• Lost wages for time you missed at work because of your health issues
• Pain and suffering you experienced
• Wrongful death of a loved one

In addition to the above damages, an individual may also be awarded “punitive damages.” This occurs when a court punishes a defendant for especially flagrant abuse of the law.

Plaintiffs who have filed talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson have won both compensatory and punitive damages. For example, in 2018, a Missouri jury awarded 22 women and their families nearly $5 billion in compensatory and punitive damages from Johnson & Johnson. On appeal, a different court reduced the compensation. However, it still held that J&J was liable for the harm.

Any compensation you may receive depends on the unique facts of your case. It may also depend on whether you are able to settle your claims and what a judge or jury awards you if your case is tried. An attorney with experience handling toxic exposure and medical claims can discuss what damages may be available to you.

Payouts in talcum powder cancer lawsuits

A few talcum powder cancer settlements and jury awards include:

• $4.9 billion to families of women who developed ovarian cancer linked to talcum powder use: In 2018, 22 women and their families were awarded $550 million in compensatory damages and $4.14 billion in punitive damages against Johnson & Johnson by a Missouri court. An appellate court later reduced the total compensation to $2.1 billion for the plaintiffs.
• $417 million award to woman with cancer: In 2017, a California jury returned a $417 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson. The plaintiff alleged the company failed to warn consumers about potential cancer risks. She also alleged that regularly using Johnson & Johnson baby powder caused her ovarian cancer.
• $100 million to people claiming a link between talc and cancer: In 2020, Johnson & Johnson agreed to settle over 1,000 lawsuits for more than $100 million. The lawsuits collectively alleged a link between Johnson & Johnson talc-based products and cancers.
• $72 million to the family of a woman who passed away from cancer: In 2016, a Missouri jury awarded the family $72 million, including $62 million in punitive damages. The woman used Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder for more than 35 years before she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She passed away at 62 years old.

The plaintiffs in the above talc lawsuits were not represented by Motley Rice. The outcomes of these cases are not guarantees of any future settlement or jury award. The damages available may be different depending on the facts of your case. A talcum powder attorney can help you assess what compensation may be available to you.

What proof is needed in an ovarian cancer talcum powder lawsuit?

If you used talcum powder and were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may have a case and may be eligible for compensation. For your case to proceed, you will need to show proof that:

• You regularly used a talcum powder product: Evidence such as proof of purchase, physical evidence and testimony can help prove this.
• You were diagnosed with a cancer caused by talc or asbestos-contaminated talc: You will need to collect your medical records proving your ovarian cancer diagnosis. This includes receipts, insurance claims and other cost documentation, which are used to determine any award amounts you may receive.
• Your ovarian cancer is linked to the talcum powder product: There will need to be a clear link between ovarian cancer and the talcum powder product you regularly used.

Your lawyer can help you find, gather and organize all of this information. They will use it to build your potential case and file a lawsuit for you if you are eligible.

If you believe that you have a claim, consider contacting an attorney as soon as possible. Depending on what state you live in, a statute of limitations (SOL) may limit the time you have to file a claim. If you do not file your claim within the SOL, you may lose the right to file in the future.

Motley Rice’s experience handling J&J talcum powder lawsuits

Motley Rice has experience litigating talcum powder lawsuits. Our team has been lead counsel in two separate trials litigating the harms caused by talcum powder.

Motley Rice attorneys Daniel Lapinski and Carmen Scott are members of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PSC) for the current federal multidistrict litigation (MDL). This committee is for cases alleging Johnson’s Baby Powder and other talc-based products caused ovarian cancer.

Dan also serves as co-chair of the Law & Briefing Committee, and Carmen is co-chair of the Bellwether Selection Committee. As of July 2025, more than 63,000 cases were pending in federal court for the MDL, In re Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is an intergovernmental agency that researches the causes of cancer. It classifies using talc-based body powder around the genitals as possibly carcinogenic to humans. This classification was influenced by years of research on the increased risk of ovarian cancer for people who apply talcum powder to sanitary napkins or directly to their genitals.

Studies point to the potential increased cancer risk from using talcum powder products. For example:

• A 2024 study shows a link between intimate care products and hormone-related cancers. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in May 2024. The results suggested an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer after genital talc use.
• A 2019 study examines a talc link to cancer. In 2019, Elsevier Inc. published a systematic review of the evidence linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer. This study concluded that “talc is a possible cause of cancer in humans based on the totality of evidence from multiple observational studies.”
• 2018 studies find an increase in ovarian cancer risk. In 2018, two meta-analyses were published. These meta-analyses concluded that the use of talcum products increased the risk of ovarian cancer.
• 2018 studies explore talc effects. In 2018, a study found that talc affects the “redox state” in human ovarian cells, a known biological pathway to cause cancer. The scientists concluded that this study demonstrated how talc causes ovarian cancer.
• A 2016 study links talc use to greater ovarian cancer risk in African American women. In 2016, a University of Virginia researcher studied the risk of cancer from talc use in African American women specifically. Prior data had found high levels of talcum powder use among this group. This study confirmed that using talc in the genital area increases ovarian cancer risk.

Dozens of other studies, analyses and meta-analyses have found similar results. Talcum powder use is linked to ovarian cancer, and the more a person uses it, the greater their risk.

Studies on how exactly talcum powder products lead to cancer are still ongoing. Some studies have found that talc affects cells during their re-oxygenation state. Other studies have suggested that asbestos contamination in talc products could lead to cancer in some people.

One 2020 study linked 75 cases of mesothelioma cancer to exposure to talcum powder contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. Natural asbestos deposits may occur near talc, the mineral used for talcum powder. The physical proximity between asbestos and talc makes contamination possible.

Other studies have shown that talcum powder products are dangerous whether or not they are contaminated with asbestos. In the early 1990s, the United States National Toxicology Program published a study on the toxicity of non-asbestos form talc. The study found talc is carcinogenic, even without asbestos fibers present.

Watch Motley Rice attorney Carmen Scott discuss Johnson & Johnson discontinuing production of talc-based baby powder products in the U.S. and Canada:

The cases against Johnson & Johnson are some of the most highly publicized talc lawsuits in history and have been building for more than a decade.

Why was talcum powder banned?

Talcum powder has not been banned in the U.S., though Johnson & Johnson stopped producing talc-based baby powder globally as of 2023. It stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada in 2020 amid public concern over its reported link to ovarian cancer.

Did Johnson and Johnson settle the talcum powder lawsuit?

Talcum powder lawsuits under the multidistrict litigation (MDL) are still ongoing. This means that eligible people may be able to join others who have filed suits for injuries they’ve suffered from talcum powder use.

After having a third bankruptcy attempt dismissed, Johnson & Johnson says it’s now focused on litigating the talcum powder cases in the MDL.

What is the average payout for a talcum powder lawsuit?

The actual payout for a talcum powder lawsuit can vary substantially, based on the unique facts of the case. A few talcum powder settlements and jury awards have included amounts in the millions and billions of dollars. However, the outcomes of these cases aren’t guarantees of any future settlement or jury award.

A talcum powder attorney can help you assess what compensation may be available to you and help you comply with any talcum powder lawsuit filing deadlines.

Does Johnson & Johnson baby powder still have talc?

No, Johnson & Johnson baby powder no longer contains talc as an ingredient. In 2023, the company stopped selling talc-based baby powder and replaced these products with cornstarch-based products.

Motley Rice attorneys lead litigation brought by thousands of women harmed by toxic exposure and defective products. Our law firm has extensive experience litigating product liability lawsuits for individuals who:

• Developed cancer after using chemical hair relaxers
• Suffered breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) allegedly caused by Allergan implants
• Endured severe complications allegedly caused by birth control devices such as Paragard® and complications allegedly arising from the use of transvaginal mesh.

We also represent mothers suing over birth defects caused by prescription drugs and alleging necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) linked to baby formula.

Read more on our women’s health litigation experience.

Do not stop taking prescribed medication without first consulting with your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor’s advice can result in injury or death. Paragard remains approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.