ST. LOUIS – A major victory for a plaintiff in the Johnson & Johnson talcum powder litigation took place yesterday, with a jury awarding $70.075 million to Ms. Deborah Giannecchini. This is the third substantial talc verdict against J&J this year–other huge losses have taken place, with damages awarded to plaintiffs in two separate verdicts in the amount of $55 million and $72 million.
It was reported that the most compelling evidence in this case was the written communication between Johnson and Johnson and Imerys (J&J’s talc supplier), which “proved that the company was aware of the dangers for over 30 years.” One in 70 women get ovarian cancer, and studies have shown that women who use talc-containing products as part of their feminine hygiene every day run a 30-60% increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. The product is still being sold. Ted Meadows, one of the lead litigators for the plaintiff asked, “When is enough going to be enough?”
