J&J Stung by New Jersey Court Ruling Reviving Talc Cancer Claims
- Decision could affect 1,000 other cases in J&J’s home state
- Appeals court said trial judge was wrong on expert testimony
Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
A New Jersey appeals court’s decision to revive two lawsuits accusing Johnson & Johnson’s iconic Baby Powder of causing cancer may lead to the reinstatement of about 1,000 suits targeting the talc-based product.
A three-judge panel of the New Jersey Superior Court said Wednesday a trial judge erroneously threw out expert testimony backing up claims by two women that talc caused their ovarian cancers, clearing the cases for trial. The ruling could also affect other talc cases on hold before the same judge.
“There are approximately 1,000 ovarian cancer cases currently filed in New Jersey state court, with more to come,” Ted Meadows, one of the lawyers representing women bringing the baby powder cases, said in a statement. “This ruling paves the way for those cases to proceed to trial.”