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Oregon to receive millions in settlement with Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson pulled its baby powder containing talc from shelves after thousands of lawsuits claimed talc causes cancer.
Credit: AP
The Johnson & Johnson headquarters is in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on Thursday, February 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon will receive about $15 million as part of a settlement with Johnson & Johnson over deceptive marketing, the Office of the Attorney General said. Of that sum, $4.7 million will go directly to local health organizations.

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and dozens of other attorney generals announced the $700 million nationwide settlement on Tuesday. Johnson & Johnson pulled its baby powder containing talc from shelves worldwide after thousands of lawsuits claimed talc causes serious health issues, including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer. The company is accused of misleading customers about the safety of some of its talc powder products. Johnson & Johnson has maintained that its products do not cause cancer.

The Oregon Attorney General's Office said four health organizations will receive a share of the settlement:

  • Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette and Planned Parenthood Southwestern Oregon will both receive $2 million for grants to increase outreach and access to health care services.
  • Virginia Garcia Memorial Health will receive about $350,000 for a grant. 
  • Oregon Health and Science Foundation will receive $275,000 for a project. 
  • Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and Southwest Washington will receive $55,750.

The settlement is still pending judicial approval. Rosenblum said while the settlement is significant, it can't undo the harm that has been done.

"For decades, Johnson & Johnson misled consumers about the potential harms of its talc powder products. Worse, they doubled down on the safety of those products, attacked credible scientific studies, refused to include warning labels on their products, and, at every turn, put profits ahead of lives. These decisions overwhelmingly harmed women,” Rosenblum said in a news release.

Tuesday's announcement comes after a jury awarded a Beaverton woman $260 million in a lawsuit she filed against Johnson & Johnson. The lawsuit alleged that the company caused her deadly cancer through talc-based baby powder, in particular.

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