Johnson & Johnson agrees to $5.5B settlement of ovarian talc claims

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has reached a proposed agreement to resolve roughly 76,000 remaining ovarian talc litigation claims, committing $5.5 billion in payments conditioned on participation by at least 95% of claimants, according to a company statement.

The settlement was reached with plaintiff firms leading the federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL) and related state court proceedings. The first payment, not to exceed $3 billion, is scheduled for 2027, with no additional payments due before 2028.

The proposed resolution follows a July 22, 2026, ruling by the MDL court ordering plaintiffs to show why remaining talc claims should not be dismissed after plaintiffs withdrew their specific causation experts in two bellwether cases. The court's action came after a hearing in which plaintiffs' expert opinions were found to lack reliable scientific methodologies.

"After decades of litigation and full vetting of the science in an extensive hearing, plaintiffs effectively conceded their inability to prove specific causation by withdrawing their experts on the topic in two bellwether cases," said Erik Haas, Worldwide Vice President of Litigation at Johnson & Johnson. "While we are confident the Company would have ultimately prevailed with further litigation, this resolution allows the Company to put this matter behind it."

The agreement complements prior resolutions, including settlements covering approximately 95% of filed mesothelioma lawsuits, all state consumer protection claims, and all talc-supplier disputes.

Johnson & Johnson discontinued its talc-based Johnson's Baby Powder globally in 2023 and separated its consumer health business, Kenvue, in August 2023. Prior to the separation, the company agreed to retain all talc-related liabilities and indemnify Kenvue for litigation costs in the United States and Canada.

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