The proposed talc settlement calls for up to $3 billion to be paid in 2027, with no additional payments due before 2028.
Johnson & Johnson announced on July 27, 2026, that it had reached an agreement with the law firms leading federal and related state proceedings to resolve roughly 76,000 remaining ovarian talc claims. The company committed $5.5 billion to the proposed resolution.
The agreement is not yet an unconditional conclusion to the litigation. It requires the participation of lead plaintiff firms representing at least 95% of the remaining claims, along with other conditions.
The claims allege that Johnson & Johnson's baby powder and other talc products caused ovarian cancer. The company continues to dispute those allegations and maintains that its cosmetic talc does not cause cancer.
The first payment is capped at $3 billion in 2027
The proposal sets out the size and initial timing of Johnson & Johnson's payments, while leaving the later payment schedule beyond 2028 unspecified in the announcement.
| Term | Proposed arrangement |
|---|---|
| Claims covered | Roughly 76,000 remaining ovarian talc claims |
| Participation condition | At least 95% of the remaining claims |
| Company commitment | $5.5 billion |
| First payment | No more than $3 billion in 2027 |
| Additional payments | None due before 2028 |
The approximately 76,000 figure covers ovarian talc claims pending in federal multidistrict litigation and related state proceedings. It does not represent every talc-related case Johnson & Johnson has faced.
A federal court order preceded the agreement
On July 22, the federal judge overseeing the multidistrict litigation ordered plaintiffs to explain why the remaining pending cases should not be dismissed for inability to prove that the company's product caused a particular claimant's ovarian cancer.
According to Johnson & Johnson, the order followed the withdrawal of specific-causation experts in two bellwether cases. The company cited the court development when announcing the agreement and said it remained confident that it would prevail if the cases continued.
Plaintiffs' lead counsel Chris Seeger said the resolution would provide fair and meaningful compensation after more than a decade of litigation. The two sides therefore described the agreement differently while agreeing to the proposed payment framework.
A previous $9 billion bankruptcy plan was denied
The new proposal follows an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the claims through a subsidiary's bankruptcy. In April 2025, a U.S. bankruptcy judge denied a $9 billion settlement plan proposed by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Red River Talc.
The Associated Press reported that the judge found a faulty voting-solicitation process involving personal-injury claimants. Johnson & Johnson chose not to appeal that decision and returned to litigating the cases in civil court.
The latest agreement is a direct proposed resolution with plaintiff firms in the federal and state proceedings rather than another bankruptcy plan. It still depends on meeting the stated participation threshold and other conditions.
Johnson & Johnson retained the talc liabilities
Johnson & Johnson stopped selling talc-based Johnson's Baby Powder in the United States and Canada in 2020 and discontinued it globally in 2023. The company separated its consumer-health business, Kenvue, in August 2023.
Before the separation, Johnson & Johnson agreed to retain talc-related liabilities and indemnify Kenvue for litigation costs in the United States and Canada. The company also said it had already settled about 95% of filed mesothelioma lawsuits, all state consumer-protection claims and all disputes with talc suppliers.
The current $5.5 billion proposal focuses on the remaining ovarian talc claims covered by the federal and related state proceedings.