A major legal claim, involving 3,000 people, has been filed against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in the UK, accusing the pharmaceutical giant of knowingly selling baby powder contaminated with asbestos.
The lawsuit, brought by KP Law, alleges that J&J was aware that its mineral-based talcum powder contained fibrous forms of talc, as well as tremolite and actinolite.
Both minerals, in their fibrous form, are classified as asbestos and linked to potentially deadly cancers.
The lawsuit claims that despite knowing the minerals were directly linked to cancers, J&J never issued warnings on the packaging.
Instead, it launched aggressive marketing campaigns portraying the powder as a symbol of purity and safety.
A company statement said they are compliant with any required regulatory standards, "did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer".
The sale of baby powder containing talc stopped in the UK in 2023.
The UK action mirrors extensive litigation in the US, where multiple lawsuits have been filed and claimants have been awarded billions of dollars in damages.
The company has successfully appealed in some cases.
