Johnson & Johnson Battles New UK Talc Cancer Claims Worth £1B After Massive US Verdict: Report

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is facing its first lawsuits in Britain over claims that its talc-based baby powder causes cancer, expanding a legal battle that has already seen tens of thousands of similar cases in the U.S.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in London’s High Court, names J&J and its former consumer arm, Kenvue UK Limited. The law firm KP Law said it is representing more than 3,000 people who believe years of using J&J’s baby powder left them battling ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, or other serious illnesses between 1965 and 2023, according to a Reuters report.

The firm alleges J&J’s talc contained carcinogenic fibers, including asbestos. J&J has consistently denied those claims, saying its products are safe and asbestos-free. The company said Kenvue remains responsible for talc-related litigation outside the U.S. and Canada. Kenvue said in a statement that J&J’s baby powder “did not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.”

The verdict follows a Los Angeles jury ordering J&J to pay $966 million to the family of Mae Moore last week. She died of mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure, in 2021. The jury had awarded $16 million in compensation and $950 million in punitive damages. J&J, which no longer sells its talc-based baby powder in the U.S., following a 2020 decision, said it would appeal the verdict, calling it “egregious and unconstitutional.”

Earlier this year, a Texas judge dismissed J&J’s third attempt to settle its talc lawsuits through a $10 billion bankruptcy plan tied to its subsidiary, Red River Talc.

KP Law said it values the U.K. lawsuit at around £1 billion ($1.34 billion). Unlike in the U.S., the case will be decided by a judge rather than a jury, and punitive awards in England are typically much smaller. Kenvue said it expects the court will conclude its talc-based products do not cause cancer.

Separately, several brokerages raised their price targets on J&J after its third-quarter (Q3) results, setting new estimates in a range of $190 to $222. Argus, Citi, and TD Cowen maintained ‘Buy’ ratings, while Raymond James kept an ‘Outperform’, BofA a ‘Neutral’, Morgan Stanley an ‘Equal Weight’, and Stifel a ‘Hold’. Analysts cited strong quarterly performance, new product launches, and growth prospects from the planned orthopedic spin-off as key drivers behind the revisions.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for J&J was ‘bullish’ amid a 61% decline in 24-hour message volume.

Some users predicted further weakness in J&J’s shares, with one expecting a retreat toward the $185 level during a market selloff, while another anticipated a gap down in the next session.

J&J’s stock has risen 35% so far in 2025.

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