Thousands of people in the UK are pursuing legal action against the pharmaceutical body Johnson & Johnson, accusing the company of knowingly knowing asbestos-concomin talcum powder.
About 3,000 plaintiffs claim that a family member developed ovarian cancer or Mesothelioma from Johnson’s Plawder, and are now seeking damages at the High Court in London.
Lawyers for the group, in court documents filed Thursday, said Johnson & Johnson, along with its current and former companies Johnson & Johnson Management and Kenvue UK, should all be held liable.
They said J&J had “hidden” the risk to the public for decades, as it has now replaced talc with corn starch in its powder line in the UK from 2023.
A spokesman for Kenue, who was formerly part of J & J, said the talc used in the baby powder complies with regulations, does not contain cancer and does not cause cancer.
Talc is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined from the earth.
Johnson’s Baby Powder (Media)
Michael Rawlinson Kc, for the group of people who brought this claim, said in court documents that “there are very few, if any, exploiting the sale of asbestos and that all the mines that supply the defendants with asbestos”.
He also said that the reports in these mines, as well as their research and their existing scientific literature, would have told J & J about the asbestos contamination.
Apart from this, the company “suppressed information that could show that the baby powder is contaminated with asbestos”, the festival added.
He also mentioned J & J “Alalusie Relatolotors” to allow the continued sale of its product and sponsored studies in an effort to “lower the risks” to people’s health.
J & J So “it is done in bad faith, to protect the reputation and make the power of the child’s performance and goodwill attached to their name”, said Mr Rawlinson.
Janet Fuschillo, one of the people in the case, said she used J & J’s child
The 75-year-old said: “I used Talc on myself and all my children because we were told it was pure, and good for you.
“I’ve used talc when changing nappies, after a bath, every time, for almost 50 years.
“It was a source of great anxiety and anger that I used on my children.
Patricia Angell said her husband Edward died in 2006 at the age of 64, just weeks after being diagnosed with Mesothelioma.
He described him as a “fit, healthy man” who worked as an electrician and knew about asbestos.
He said: “When he got sick the doctors asked him if he had ever come in contact with asbestos and he told them he never had it.
“He’ll come home from work and shower every day and use J & J’s talc.
“But he always used it because we were told that, you know, he’s innocent.
“Talc was mentioned in the autopsy report of Edwards, and the formation of asbestos was found in contaminated talc.”
She also added that her husband “took away” 19 years of life while her children were robbed by their father.
Mesothelioma, a type of cancer, is probably caused by exposure to asbestos, according to the NHS, and has become common forms in the lungs after people have reduced the microscopic fibers.
Mr. Rawlinson said that the way to use baby powder – squeezing or shaking the bottle – means that “clouds” of powder are suspended in the air “and get under the person who uses it.
A spokesperson for Kenue said: “We sympathize with people living with cancer.
“We understand that they and their families want answers – that’s why the facts are so important.
“The safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder is backed by years of testing by leading private and public health centres, universities and health authorities in the UK and around the world.
“The high quality cosmetic grade used in Johnson’s Baby Powder met any required regulatory standards, was asbestos free, and did not cause cancer.”
