July 10, 2026 - Attributable to Erik Haas, Worldwide Vice President of Litigation, Johnson & Johnson:
“We will immediately appeal this decision. The divided appellate court upheld a damages theory that has never before been recognized in Illinois and that one member of the court concluded improperly expands survival-law damages beyond their established limits. We remain confident that further review will confirm that the law does not permit the unprecedented recovery allowed here.”
“This decision is also irreconcilable with decades of scientific research demonstrating that Johnson’s Baby Powder is safe, does not contain asbestos, and does not cause mesothelioma. It stands in sharp contrast to recent defense verdicts and other court decisions rejecting plaintiffs’ unsupported theories (here and here)”
“More broadly, this case illustrates how plaintiffs’ lawyers continue to rely on litigation-driven junk science in pursuit of massive verdicts. We have exposed this plaintiff lawyer playbook, including via litigation against so-called plaintiff ‘experts’ who have authored fraudulent medical articles asserting that talc causes cancer. (More on these cases here and here.)”
“To learn more about the science and our position regarding talc, visit Facts About Talc.”