J & J Faces Federal Subpoenas on Asbestos in Its Baby Powder

Johnson & Johnson executives this week revealed the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission issued subpoenas related to ongoing lawsuits over the company’s alleged asbestos contamination in its popular talcum powder. The company disclosed the federal inquiries in its annual report to the SEC on Wednesday. It was the first time the pharmaceutical giant admitted that federal agencies had subpoenaed the company about its talc products. Despite thousands of lawsuits and a 2017 report that showed J&J executives were aware of the asbestos liabilities since the 1970s, company officials deny all allegations. A J&J spokesperson said the company will “cooperate fully with these inquiries and will continue to defend the company in the talc-related litigation,” according to an NBC News report. Thousands of Lawsuits Against J&J Johnson & Johnson, which is based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, is the world’s largest manufacturer of talc products. In 2017, J&J’s annual report showed the company had more than $76 billion in sales. That same year, the company began facing lawsuits over asbestos exposure stemming from its talcum powders, specifically its Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower product lines. More than 11,000 people have filed asbestos lawsuits against J&J alleging its products caused them to develop asbestos-related cancers such as mesothelioma and ovarian cancer. Key cases against J&J in 2018: ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news