J&J's consumer unit named in talcum powder cancer claims - FT

[April 27, 2023]  (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson's <JNJ.N> newly formed consumer health unit Kenvue has been named in claims that the company's talcum powder can cause cancer, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.

Kenvue has been named in at least seven talc lawsuits filed since the start of April, according to the report, citing regulatory filings and people familiar with the matter.

The news comes as Johnson & Johnson (J&J) said it's seeking up to a $42.95 billion valuation for Kenvue in its initial public offering.

Earlier this month, J&J agreed to pay $8.9 billion to settle tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that talc in its iconic Baby Powder and other products caused cancer, dwarfing the company's original offer of $2 billion.

J&J has claimed that its talc products are safe and do not cause cancer.

One of the new cases naming Kenvue was filed in Middlesex county, New Jersey, on behalf of a husband and wife who live in Louisiana, FT said. Their lawsuit claims Justin Bergeron contracted mesothelioma as a result of using J&J talc containing asbestos, FT reported.

Johnson & Johnson company offices are shown in Irvine, California, U.S., October 14, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo/File Photo

Lawyers working for talc claimants said it could be the first of many claims filed against Kenvue and other J&J divisions not previously named in lawsuits, the paper added.

J&J did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the lawsuits.

(Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)

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