Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that Vermont will receive $3.1 million over the next four years from Johnson & Johnson to resolve allegations related to the marketing of Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and body powder products that contained talc, which often contained asbestos. Today’s settlement is the result of a four-year, multistate investigation involving 42 other attorneys general. The total nationwide settlement amount is $700 million.
“Johnson & Johnson marketed their baby powder and body powder products as safe—when it knew they were not,” said Attorney General Clark. “I will continue to use the authority of my office to hold companies accountable for misleading consumers about the safety of their products.”
The consent judgment filed in this lawsuit addresses allegations that Johnson & Johnson deceptively promoted its talc powder products and misled consumers in advertisements related to the safety and purity of those products. After the coalition of states began investigating, Johnson & Johnson stopped distributing and selling these products in the United States, and more recently, ended global sales.
Under the consent judgment, Johnson & Johnson:
- Has ceased and not resumed the manufacturing, marketing, promotion, sale, and distribution of all baby and body powder products and cosmetic powder products that contain talcum powder, including, but not limited to, Johnson’s Baby Powder and Johnson & Johnson’s Shower to Shower in the United States.
- Will permanently stop manufacturing any of these products in the United States either directly or indirectly through any third party.
- Will permanently stop the marketing and promotion of any of these products in the United States either directly or indirectly through any third party.
- Will permanently stop the sale or distribution of any of these products in the United States either directly or indirectly through any third party.
Vermont was joined in today’s settlement by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The Consent Judgment filed today in Vermont Superior Court, Washington Civil Division, is available here.
For information about the official committee for individuals who are or potentially are talc claimants, visit https://www.ltltalccommittee.org/.
CONTACT: Lauren Jandl, Chief of Staff, 802-828-3171