U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah Singh issued a ruling on Wednesday requiring approximately 69,000 plaintiffs to provide more specific medical evidence in their litigation against Johnson & Johnson. The plaintiffs allege that the company's talc-based baby powder and other products caused ovarian cancer. The judge's order notes that recent expert testimony failed to establish a direct causal link between the products and the specific cancers reported.
The ruling follows testimony from two medical experts, Judith Wolf and Daniel Clarke-Pearson, who stated during preparation for test trials that they could not rule out other potential causes for the plaintiffs' conditions. Judge Singh noted that without admissible expert opinions linking talc use to specific cases of cancer, the claims may face dismissal. The court has given the plaintiffs until November 19 to respond and provide additional evidence.
Johnson & Johnson has consistently denied that its talc products cause cancer, maintaining that they are safe and asbestos-free. Erik Haas, J&J's vice president of litigation, stated that the decision brings the litigation closer to a complete dismissal. While the company has won several recent state court trials, other juries have awarded significant damages to plaintiffs in separate cases. The company transitioned from talc to cornstarch-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020.