Johnson & Johnson to pay $6.5bn to women who said its talc powder caused their ovarian CANCERS

Johnson and Johnson is set to make one of the biggest payouts in history over claims its talc powder causes ovarian cancer.

Under the proposed deal, the pharma giant would pay nearly $6.5billion over 25 years to tens of thousands of people who have filed lawsuits against the company.

J&J is urging those suing them to accept the deal, saying it is better than waiting for a trial which may take decades to begin and does not guarantee a payout.

But they will need at least 75 percent of the 54,000 people who have filed against the company to vote in favor of the deal over the next three months for it to be accepted.

The pharma giant has already paid out billions over its talc powder — which has now been discontinued — including $700million to states over misleading advertising and more than $2.12billion to 22 women who said it gave them cancer.

Earlier this month, it paid $45million to the family of a mother-of-six in Illinois who died after developing a cancer linked to the powders.

J&J, based in New Jersey, has admitted no wrongdoing and continues to insist that its talcum powder is safe, did not contain asbestos and did not cause cancer.  

J&J is set to pay nearly $6.5billion to settle the more than 54,000 lawsuits it faces over claims its talc powder has triggered ovarian cancer

Lora Stahl, 56, from Nebraska, pictured here with her husband Herb and grandson, is one of the more than 54,000 people saying J&J's baby powder gave them cancer. She previously suffered from ovarian cancer

If accepted, the payout would be one of the largest in history — surpassing the  $6billion to be paid by the Sackler family over the opioid crisis and well above the $3billion paid by GSK in 2012 to resolve allegations it failed to report safety data. 

Erik Haas, J&J's worldwide vice president of litigation, said according to CNBC: 'We firmly believe this plan is in the best interests of claimants and should receive a favorable and immediate confirmation from the bankruptcy court.

'As that track record shows, most of bearing claimants have not recovered, nor are they expected to ever recover, anything at trial.

Johnson & Johnson is ordered to pay $19m to man, 24, who claims its baby powder caused aggressive CANCER 

Emory Valadez, from California, claimed the heavy exposure to J&J's talcum powder from childhood caused mesothelioma, a cancer around his heart that is caused by inhaling toxic asbestos.

'At the rate at which cases have been tried, it would take decades to try the remaining cases meaning most claimants will never see their day in court.'

The pharma giant's stockprice jumped three percent on the news of the proposed deal from $148.49 to $150 per share.

Many of the claims are being brought by women who say they developed ovarian cancer because of the powder, or people who were diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer around the heart.

These cancers are linked to asbestos, which some studies say could be found in small amounts in talc powders.

Under the deal, J&J would file for the bankruptcy of a subsidiary company called LTL Management which would then payout to settle all current and future claims.

A bankruptcy is a legal device used by businesses or individuals to declare they cannot repay their debts and allow for a settlement to be reached over payments.

It was not clear how much everyone suing the company would receive under the deal, but this could run into the millions for many.

The deal marks the third time J&J has offered a bankruptcy deal in the New Jersey federal court. 

The two previous ones were thrown out by judges, although they did not involve votes from those suing the company.

Among those suing J&J is 56-year-old Lora Stahl from Nebraska, who claims she had to have a hysterectomy and was robbed of the chance to grow her family after the baby powder caused a cancerous tumor to form in her ovaries. 

She was diagnosed with stage two ovarian cancer at the age of 35, with doctors having to remove her uterus, cervix and ovaries to halt the disease's spread.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, she said: 'I was still in my childbearing years, my husband and I were still young. I was lying there, and it just hit me, "Oh, my gosh, I can't have kids anymore. We're done having a family, we don't have a choice. It's not my choice anymore."’

Another claimant is 24-year-old Emory Valadez from California, who said the firm's baby powder caused him to develop a rare and deadly cancer.

Talc powder was popular for decades in the US for its ability to keep skin dry and to help avoid rashes, being used on both adults and babies.

But the powder, made from a naturally occurring mineral, can also contain small amounts of asbestos according to some studies — a carcinogen known to cause cancers when repeatedly inhaled.

Once asbestos fibers enter the body, they can lodge in soft tissue permanently, causing severe cellular damage and inflammation — which may lead to cancer.

In March this year, J&J received a new chance to contest the scientific evidence linking talc to ovarian cancer in the centralized litigation in New Jersey federal court.   

The judge overseeing the cases said that recent changes in the law and new scientific evidence require a fresh review, and he asked J&J to present new arguments on the science by late July.

J&J said it will continue to defend itself against the lawsuits while trying to gather votes on the settlement. 

The company said it has prevailed in 95 percent of ovarian cases tried to date, including every ovarian case tried over the last six years.