SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JULY 13: A container of Johnson’s Baby Powder is shown on this photo … [+]
The pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is is anticipated to pay $6.475 billion to settle the lawsuits claimed that its talc-based products, often linked to health concerns, caused cancer. This unprecedented agreement covers roughly 60,000 cases and marks a major moment on the intersection of public health and company responsibility. For Black Women Selected by J&J as “The Right Place” to Sell More Baby Powder, Specifically on “underdeveloped geographical areas“This may be an opportunity for financial reciprocity.”
The breakdown it’s essential to know:
J&J, a household name with products in hundreds of thousands of homes, began selling its iconic baby powder in 1894. However, concerns concerning the safety of talc, the most important ingredient, arose as early because the Fifties. The first lawsuit linking J&J’s talc products to ovarian cancer was filed in 2009 and marked the beginning of a lengthy legal battle.
Over the years, quite a few studies have pointed to a link between talcum powder and cancer. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified asbestos-containing talc as a carcinogen and has suggested that the usage of talc powder on the genital area could potentially be carcinogenic. Research found talc particles in a major percentage of ovarian tumors and located a 33% increased risk of ovarian cancer with long-term use of talc-based products.
Talk Texas Two Step:
According to Reuters, J&J originally planned to do a “Texas two-step” through its subsidiary LTL Management as a part of a legal strategy that enables firms to separate liabilities from assets through a demerger merger and file for bankruptcy. However, the court ruled that J&J was not in real financial distress, noting that the spinoff company still had access to its assets price an estimated $61.5 billion.
Back in 2021, the corporate agreed to a $100 million settlement regarding similar talc powder claims. The company is planning this yr Stop selling talc-based baby powder global.
J&J PR powder:
Racial and ethnic disparities in U.S. healthcare are widespread, with black women at greater risk to their health on account of discrimination. CultureBanx reported that Johnson & Johnson took advantage of this when it began distributing baby powder through a specially curated network of churches and wonder salons that targeted Black and Hispanic communities.
Over and beyond, J&J launched a $300,000 radio promoting campaign in six markets with the first goal of “reaching curvy Southern women ages 18 to 49 with African-American tendencies, according to the New York Times.” To add insult to injury, an independent investigation discovered that the corporate had known for many years that asbestos was mixed into the talc.
What’s next:
The settlement, which goals to resolve decades-long disputes without admitting wrongdoing, marks an important chapter for Johnson & Johnson amid ongoing discussions about cancer and health safety. J&J recorded a charge of $2.7 billion in the primary quarter related to the brand new deal, increasing its provision for talc-related claims to about $11 billion.
