Talc Litigation Statistics

Shareable data visualizations on Johnson & Johnson talc lawsuits, verdicts, and timeline. Free to embed with attribution.

Data last updated: 2026-01-29

By Claire Brennan, J.D. · Legal Affairs Editor

At a Glance

Key statistics from talc litigation as of January 2026. Download or embed for presentations and articles.

Total Talc Lawsuits

Total lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson

90,000+ Total lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson Source: Federal MDL Court Records, 2026
Data from MesoWatch. Free to use with attribution.

Total Verdict Awards

Total verdicts awarded since 2016

$10B+ In verdicts awarded since 2016 Source: Court Records, 2026
Data from MesoWatch. Free to use with attribution.

Years of Documented Risk

How long asbestos in talc has been known

50+ Years of documented risk 1957 to present Source: Reuters Investigation
Data from MesoWatch. Free to use with attribution.

Major Verdicts

Largest jury awards in talc litigation, including record-breaking 2025 verdicts against Johnson & Johnson.

Largest Talc Verdicts ($ millions)

Record-breaking jury awards against Johnson & Johnson

Largest Talc Verdicts (in millions) Record-breaking jury awards against Johnson & Johnson Craft (Dec 2025) 1,560M Moore Estate (Oct 2025) 966M 22 Women St. Louis (2018) 4,690M 4 NJ Plaintiffs (2020) 750M Carley (Dec 2025) 65.5M Kent & Schultz (Dec 2025) 40M Source: Court Records
Data from MesoWatch. Free to use with attribution.

50+ Years of Knowledge

Timeline from first asbestos detection in 1957 to global product discontinuation and billion-dollar verdicts.

Talc Litigation Timeline

From first asbestos detection to $1.56 billion verdict

Talc Litigation Timeline From First Asbestos Detection to $1.56 Billion Verdict 1957 First Asbestos Found Tremolite asbestos detected in J&J talc 1971 Cancer Link Published First talc-ovarian cancer study 1976 FDA Lobbying J&J blocks proposed asbestos limits 2006 First Lawsuit Talc litigation begins 2016 $72M Verdict First major plaintiff win 2018 $4.69B Verdict 22 women in St. Louis 2019 FDA Finds Asbestos 33,000 bottle recall 2020 US Discontinuation J&J stops US talc sales 2024 IARC Classification "Probably carcinogenic" 2025 $1.56B Verdict Largest individual award Source: Reuters Investigation, Court Records
Data from MesoWatch. Free to use with attribution.

Claim Breakdown

Distribution of talc lawsuits by cancer type. Ovarian cancer claims represent the majority, with mesothelioma cases involving talc-asbestos contamination.

Talc Claims by Cancer Type

Distribution between ovarian cancer and mesothelioma claims

Claims by Cancer Type Ovarian cancer vs mesothelioma claims Ovarian Cancer: 85% Mesothelioma: 15% 100 total Ovarian Cancer 85% (85) Mesothelioma 15% (15) Source: MDL Court Filings
Data from MesoWatch. Free to use with attribution.

Mesothelioma Exposure Source

Percentage with talc as only known asbestos exposure

Mesothelioma Exposure Source % with talc as only known asbestos exposure Talc-only exposure: 74% Mixed asbestos sources: 27% 100 total Talc-only exposure 74% (73.5) Mixed asbestos sources 27% (26.5) Source: J Occup Med Toxicol, 2023
Data from MesoWatch. Free to use with attribution.

Have You Been Affected?

If you or a loved one developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after using talcum powder products, you may be entitled to compensation.

Learn About Talc Lawsuits J&J Lawsuit History

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Data Sources

All statistics are sourced from court records, government agencies, and peer-reviewed research.

  • Federal Court Records: Verdict data from MDL 2738 and state court filings
  • Reuters Investigation (2018): Timeline events and internal documents
  • IARC: 2024 classification of talc as "probably carcinogenic"
  • J Occup Med Toxicol (2023): Mesothelioma exposure source study by Finkelstein et al.