A Missouri court ruled in June 2020 that Johnson & Johnson “disregarded the safety of consumers,” and put profit above safety by marketing talc products that caused ovarian cancer in humans. As a result, the company has been ordered to award several women an estimated total of $2.12 billion in damages.
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on Tuesday rejected Johnson & Johnson’s request to appeal a verdict in favor of 22 cancer sufferers in 12 different US states.
It’s worth noting that the July 2018 verdict ordered the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company to pay nearly $4.7 billion in damages to the plaintiffs. However, the payout was lowered to $2.12 billion after a Missouri appeals court dismissed claims made by some of the 22 women.
Johnson & Johnson – manufacturer of one of three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the US – has denied that its talc-based products contain asbestos.
The pharmaceutical company notably pulled its talc-based baby powder from shelves in both the US and Canada back in May 2020. At the time, the company attributed the move to its decline in baby powder sales, which they alleged were driven by “changes in consumer habits and fueled by “changes in consumer habits” and “misinformation around the safety of the product.”
a bottle of Johnson’s baby powder
The Tuesday SCOTUS decision comes months after the Missouri Supreme Court also refused to consider Johnson & Johnson’s appeal on the multi-billion-dollar matter.
“This decision sends a clear message to the rich and powerful: You will be held to account when you cause grievous harm under our system of equal justice under law,” Mark Lanier, lead attorney for the 22 women, told the Associated Press.
The SCOTUS decision may signal a rough legal road ahead for Johnson & Johnson, which is facing thousands of lawsuits related to its talc-based baby powder.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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