Johnson & Johnson Faces Talc Cancer Trial in Pennsylvania
A new talcum powder cancer trial has begun in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, marking the second major mass tort case in the venue involving allegations that Johnson & Johnson’s iconic baby powder caused ovarian cancer. The lawsuit, brought by the estate of the late Gayle Emerson, claims that decades of talc use ultimately led to her fatal cancer diagnosis. Emerson reportedly used Johnson & Johnson baby powder for roughly fifty years, beginning in the late 1960s and continuing until shortly before her legal filing in 2019.
The central allegation in the lawsuit is that Johnson & Johnson marketed its talc-based baby powder as a safe consumer product while internally knowing it posed cancer risks due to asbestos contamination. Since talc is often found in areas where asbestos may also be present, there is a high risk of cross-contamination during extraction and processing. The lawsuit asserts that the company failed to adequately warn consumers or regulators about these hazards.
The plaintiff’s legal team argues that Johnson & Johnson favored talc-based formulations despite having access to a cornstarch alternative, largely for commercial and supply chain reasons. In their view, the company prioritized market dominance and legacy branding over consumer safety protections.
Johnson & Johnson continues to deny that its talc-based powders cause ovarian cancer, contending that decades of scientific evidence and regulatory review do not show a definitive causal link. The company also disputes the biological mechanism by which asbestos fibers could travel from topical application to reproductive organs. Defense counsel in the trial has suggested that other potential factors, including age, genetics, lifestyle, and medical history, may better explain the plaintiff’s cancer diagnosis.
The trial is expected to last approximately three weeks. While no verdict has been reached, outcomes in prior talc litigation have varied widely, ranging from defense verdicts to substantial plaintiff awards.
Although Johnson & Johnson maintains its talc products are safe, it announced in 2022 that it would discontinue its talc-based baby powder worldwide and replace it with a cornstarch formulation. The decision came amid thousands of lawsuits filed by individuals alleging ovarian cancer or mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure in talc.
Pennsylvania one of the most active jurisdictions for asbestos litigation. The state’s history with heavy industrial manufacturing, shipyards, insulation materials, steel production, and energy infrastructure has generated a substantial number of occupational asbestos exposure claims over multiple decades.
Goldberg, Persky & White has been involved in numerous Pennsylvania asbestos cases involving:
- Occupational exposure at power plants, steel mills, and factories
- Asbestos-containing household products
- Consumer talc claims
- Secondary exposure claims affecting family members
- Asbestos-induced illnesses such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, colon cancer, and throat cancer
In recent years, Pennsylvania juries have heard cases involving asbestos-containing talc products, mesothelioma claims from cosmetic talc use, and industrial exposures linked to legacy manufacturers..
The talc litigation landscape continues to evolve as courts examine scientific evidence and expert testimony surrounding both ovarian cancer and mesothelioma risk..
The Johnson & Johnson trial also raises questions about corporate responsibility and transparency, including what companies know about product safety and when that knowledge is communicated to consumers. These issues are familiar in asbestos litigation, where decades of evidence revealed that many industrial manufacturers understood the dangers of asbestos long before warnings appeared on products or workplace protections were implemented.
For more than 40 years, Goldberg, Persky & White, P.C. has represented asbestos exposure victims across Pennsylvania and the United States. Our attorneys have extensive experience in both occupational and consumer-product asbestos litigation, including claims involving talc-based powders.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer or another illness potentially linked to talcum powder, you may qualify to participate in ongoing litigation. Contact Goldberg, Persky & White, P.C. today.
