Attorney General Jason Miyares, along with 42 other state attorneys general, has reached a $700 million nationwide settlement with Johnson & Johnson. The settlement addresses allegations concerning the marketing of the company's baby powder and body powder products containing talc.
The consent judgment filed in this lawsuit claims that Johnson & Johnson deceptively promoted and misled consumers about the safety and purity of some of its talc powder products. As part of the agreement, Johnson & Johnson will cease the manufacture and sale of its baby powder and body powder products containing talc in the United States.
Johnson & Johnson had sold these products for over a century. Following investigations by the coalition of states, the company halted distribution and sales within the United States and recently ended global sales. This lawsuit focused on deceptive marketing practices, while numerous other lawsuits by private plaintiffs in class actions have alleged that talc causes serious health issues such as mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.
Under the terms of the consent judgment, Virginia is set to receive $21.2 million from the settlement. Judicial approval is pending in Richmond City Circuit Court.