Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has initiated a lawsuit against four doctors who conducted studies linking talc-based personal care products to cancer. J&J accuses the researchers of publishing inaccurate studies, claiming that their findings are based on “junk science.” The company’s subsidiary, LTL Management, filed a lawsuit in New Jersey federal court, demanding that three of the researchers retract or correct their study asserting that asbestos-contaminated talc products can cause mesothelioma. J&J is facing over 38,000 lawsuits alleging that its talc products, including Baby Powder, contain asbestos and are responsible for cancers such as ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. The company argues that its talc products are safe and asbestos-free. J&J recently discontinued the sale of talc-based Baby Powder due to an increase in lawsuits and misinformation surrounding its safety. The company hopes to resolve the lawsuits through an $8.9 billion settlement in bankruptcy court. The lawsuit against the doctors follows similar legal actions taken by LTL Management against other researchers. The cases are seen as an aggressive move by J&J to discourage future research and regain control over the narrative about talc safety. However, legal experts believe it will be challenging for J&
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/johnson-johnson-sues-researchers-who-linked-talc-cancer-2023-07-13/