J&J and BHC Reach Deal On Body Powder Litigation

J&J and BHC Reach Deal On Body Powder Litigation

Introduction

In a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Bausch Health Companies Inc. (BHC) struck a deal with Johnson & Johnson to cover the costs of litigation involved in personal injury and product liability lawsuits linked to Shower to Shower product that Bausch acquired in 2012.

The deal covers suits filed before March 2020. J&J will compensate Bausch for any regulatory actions related to the production, use or sale of the talcum powder up to September 2012. The lawsuits against Bausch included several filed into the multidistrict litigation involving J&J's talcum products in New Jersey federal court and state courts. Some of the cases claimed that Shower to Shower powder cause ovarian cancer to women who used them for personal hygiene purposes. The company stated in the annual report that it was actively defending itself in suits that have not been dismissed yet.

J&J faces more than 14,000 claims linked to asbestos exposure from its talc-based products causing ovarian cancer or mesothelioma.