Sun Apr 06 14:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Johnson & Johnson to Fight Talc Cancer Lawsuits After Bankruptcy Attempt Fails
**New York, NY** – Johnson & Johnson (J&J) will abandon its bankruptcy strategy to resolve tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging its talc products caused cancer, the company announced today. A Texas bankruptcy court rejected J&J’s third attempt to use a subsidiary, Red River Talc, to settle the claims through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
J&J had proposed an $8 billion settlement plan, claiming support from approximately 83% of claimants. However, Judge Christopher Lopez dismissed the case, citing concerns about the validity of plaintiff votes and referencing a Supreme Court decision that overturned a similar opioid settlement strategy. The judge also highlighted the massive cost and time involved in defending the over 90,000 lawsuits.
The company has now reversed its $7 billion reserve for the bankruptcy plan and will instead litigate the cases individually. Erik Haas, J&J’s worldwide vice president of litigation, stated that the company is “more confident than ever” in its ability to win, citing a strong track record in previous trials.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys, however, celebrated the ruling as a victory. Andy Birchfield of Beasley Allen, representing numerous claimants, called J&J’s bankruptcy strategy a “bad-faith manoeuvre” and expressed optimism about proceeding to trial. The decision clears the way for thousands of individual cases to move forward, potentially leading to a protracted and costly legal battle for J&J. The company maintains its talc products are safe, despite phasing them out.
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