A Los Angeles jury cleared Johnson & Johnson of negligence on June 5, 2026. The verdict rejected claims that the company’s talc-based powders caused fatal ovarian cancer. This lawsuit represented the families of Mary Owens, Bonnie Tienken, and Geneva Williams.
The case served as the second bellwether trial in a California-coordinated proceeding. J&J currently faces more than 67,000 lawsuits alleging its talc products cause cancer. The company maintains its products are safe and contain no asbestos.
J&J stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020. The company now sells a cornstarch-based version of the product.