UK Legal Battle Erupts Over Talcum Powder and Cancer Claims
A major legal case is unfolding in the High Court in London as thousands of people in the UK pursue claims against Johnson & Johnson, professing that the company’s baby greasepaint caused cancer.
Some 3,000 individuals claim either they or a family member developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using Johnson’s Baby Powder, which they argue was defiled with asbestos. They’re now seeking compensation for the alleged detriment.
Lawyers representing the claimants have named Johnson & Johnson, alongside current and former subsidiaries Johnson & Johnson Management and Kenvue UK, as liable parties.
Court documents suggest the company “concealed” the potential risks for decades. Johnson & Johnson replaced talc with corn starch in its baby powder in the UK in 2023.
A prophet for Kenvue, formerly part of J&J, stated the talc used in the product stuck to regulations, was asbestos-free, and doesn’t cause cancer. Talc, they emphasized, is a naturally occurring mineral booby-trapped from the earth.
Michael Rawlinson KC, representing the claimants, told the court: “There exist very few, if any, commercially exploited talc deposits in the world which do not contain asbestos, and that all of the mines supplying the defendants contained asbestos.”
He further added that internal reports, research, and existing scientific literature should have made Johnson & Johnson aware of the contamination risk.
Have you or a loved one used Johnson & Johnson talcum powder?
Legal action underway claims It’s linked to cancers caused by asbestos contamination.
⬇️ Find out who is affected https://t.co/nZqvitiWZF#Ad #TalcumPowder #JohnsonAndJohnson #ConsumerRights pic.twitter.com/nKrJ653wA9
— Consumer Voice UK (@groupaction) October 15, 2025
“The company suppressed information that might indicate that baby powder was contaminated with asbestos,” Mr Rawlinson said.
According to the barrister, J&J also “lobbied regulators” and sponsored studies to minimize perceived dangers.
He argued that the company “acted in bad faith, to protect the reputation and profit-making potential of baby powder and the goodwill attached to their name.”
The personal stories behind the case are poignant. Janet Fuschillo, 75, shared that she used Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder since the 1960s and was diagnosed with ovarian cancer seven years ago.
She said, “I used talc on myself and all four of my children because we were told it was pure, and it was good for you.
I used talc when I changed nappies, after baths, all the time, for close to 50 years. It’s a source of great concern and anger that I used talc on my children.”
Patricia Angell also recounted her husband Edward’s death from mesothelioma in 2006 at age 64, mere weeks after his diagnosis.
She described him as a “perfectly fit, healthy man” who worked as an electrician and knew about asbestos exposure.
She explained: “When he fell ill, the doctors asked him if he ever came into contact with asbestos, and he told them he never had.
He would come home from work and shower every day, and use J&J’s talc. But he always used it because we were told it was, you know, pure.
Talc was mentioned on Edward’s autopsy report, along with asbestos strains found in contaminated talc.”
She added that her husband had been “robbed” of 19 years of life while their children had lost a father.
According to the NHS, mesothelioma is almost always linked to asbestos exposure and primarily affects the lungs.
Mr Rawlinson noted that the way baby powder was applied, often by squeezing or shaking the bottle, created “clouds” of dust that lingered in the air and were inhaled by the user.
Kenvue responded, stating: “We sympathize deeply with people living with cancer. We understand that they and their families want answers – that’s why the facts are so important.
The safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder is backed by years of testing by independent and leading laboratories, universities, and health authorities in the UK and around the world.
The high-quality cosmetic grade talc that was used in Johnson’s Baby Powder was compliant with any required regulatory standards, did not contain asbestos, and does not cause cancer.”
The case is set to continue in London, with thousands of claimants seeking justice over decades of alleged exposure.
