Johnson & Johnson Failed To Tell Consumers They Were Under Federal Investigation

Johnson & Johnson was not exactly forthcoming with the information that the government was investigating their baby powder asbestos problems and only made the information available to shareholders when absolutely required to do so in the company's recently-published company annual report

Thursday, February 28, 2019 - Cosmetics and medical devices company Johnson & Johnson is said to be under investigation by several US government agencies looking into whether or not their iconic brand Johnson's Baby Powder contains asbestos and is responsible for causing cancer. The US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have all launched inquiries, issued subpoenas and made requests for documents related to Johnson's Baby Powder talc containing asbestos. The investigation was prompted when investigative journalists at Reuters published a report claiming that executives at Johnson & Johnson have known for years, perhaps as early as 1959, that talcum powder mined by their supplier Imreys contained detectable amounts of asbestos and that executives grappling with the problem failed to tell regulators or warn their customers. Talc is a naturally occurring organic mineral, the softest on earth, and is mined at locations adjacent to and sometimes overlapping asbestos mines around the world.

Johnson & Johnson company memos revealed during several Johnson's Baby Powder ovarian cancer and mesothelioma trials claim that the samples of Johnson's Baby Powder the plaintiff's tested contained talc and that Johnson & Johnson executive knew that once contaminated asbestos could not be removed from their products. Jurors have also seen memos that indicate that rather than warn the public that Johnson's Baby Powder talc contained asbestos, a known carcinogenic, marketing executive chose to redirect the company's advertising to target African American women whom the company deemed was a less well-informed demographic. Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower product advertising "race shamed" black women into thinking that they needed to use the product every day to eliminate order and to potentially elevate their status to that of white women. The company marketed its products using the slogan "A sprinkle a day helps keep odors away."

Spokespersons for Johnson & Johnson have pledged the company's full support in compliance with the subpoenas and government information requests. Johnson & Johnson's talc supplier and co-defendant Imreys Inc. recently filed for bankruptcy protection due to the avalanche of lawsuits against them claiming that the talc they sell contains asbestos. Rather than face trial, Imreys settled two cases against them and co-defendant Johnson & Johnson rather than risk having to pay their percentage of a multi-billion dollar jury award against them.

There are currently over 12,000 lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson in the company's home state of New Jersey, Missouri, and California. Plaintiffs claim that their lifelong use of Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower contributed to their ovarian cancer or mesothelioma.

Information provided by TalcumPowderCancerLawsuit.com, a website devoted to providing news about talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits, as well as medical research and findings.