A Maine man has filed a $25 million lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, alleging that the company's talcum powder product caused his wife's fatal cancer. The suit claims the product contained asbestos, leading to her rapid and aggressive mesothelioma diagnosis and death.
The lawsuit, submitted in September at Cumberland County Superior Court in Portland, asserts that Cynthia Cartwright contracted mesothelioma after using Johnson & Johnson's Pecos River Talc. According to court documents, Cartwright used the talcum powder on her feet and other parts of her body, inadvertently inhaling asbestos fibers.
Consequently, Cartwright was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2017 and passed away just four days later. Her widower, Andrew Curtin, is now pursuing legal action, claiming negligence and product defect on the part of Johnson & Johnson.
The suit argues that Johnson & Johnson should have been aware of the presence of harmful asbestos in their talc products and failed to provide adequate warnings to consumers. This lack of disclosure, the filing contends, directly resulted in Cartwright's illness and death.
Johnson & Johnson, in response, has denied all allegations and has filed a motion to move the case from state to federal court. The company asserts that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has primary jurisdiction over the safety of cosmetic talc-containing products and has repeatedly ruled talc as safe for its intended use.
This case is not an isolated incident for the company. Johnson & Johnson has faced numerous lawsuits related to its talcum powder products. These legal battles have resulted in settlements and judgments, with plaintiffs claiming a connection between talc use and cancer diagnoses, including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.
In an attempt to resolve a large number of claims, Johnson & Johnson proposed an $8.9 billion settlement in September. While the company maintains that its talc products are safe, it has discontinued sales of its talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020 and worldwide in 2023.
