Maine Man sues Johnson & Johnson for $25 million over wife's death

A man in Maine has filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson alleging that the company's talcum powder caused his wife's death.

On April 10, 2017, Cynthia Cartwright, Andrew Curtin's wife, was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer that strikes the lungs and other organs, according to a complaint Newsweek reviewed.

Cartwright frequently purchased and used the company's products, the lawsuit said. Her diagnosis was "a direct and proximate result of Ms Cartwright's inhalation and ingestion of asbestos contained within the J&J products," it alleged. Johnson & Johnson has denied the allegations in the lawsuit, which seeks a jury trial and damages in excess of $25 million.

Newsweek has contacted Curtin and Johnson & Johnson for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Johnson & Johnson has previously lost multimillion-dollar lawsuits related to allegations that its baby powder caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.

In September, it proposed an $8.2 billion settlement to resolve claims by more than 60,000 people who say its baby powder gave them ovarian and other gynecologic cancers.

The company, which withdrew its talc-based powder products from the U.S. market in 2020 and discontinued sales worldwide in 2023, insists that its talc-based baby powder is safe and does not cause cancer.

What To Know

A 2018 Reuters investigation found that Johnson & Johnson knew for decades that its powder products were tainted with asbestos and kept the information from regulators and the public.

In October, a judge ordered the company to pay $15 million to a Connecticut man who alleged he developed mesothelioma as a result of using its talc powder for decades.

Curtin's lawsuit, which was first filed in September, alleged that for decades, Johnson & Johnson knew about the "dangers of talc powder inhalation during the normal and expected use of its talc-based cosmetic products, especially to babies."

The company "knew or should have known that the J&J Products contained harmful, deleterious, carcinogenic and inherently dangerous asbestos dust and fibers," it continued.

The suit also said the company "failed to contain adequate and proper warnings and/or instructions regarding the increased risk of mesothelioma associated with the use of J&J Products."

In a response filed on December 19, Johnson & Johnson said the Food and Drug Administration "has primary and exclusive jurisdiction over the safety of cosmetic talc-containing products and primary and exclusive jurisdiction to determine whether any warning must accompany cosmetic talc-containing products."

It added that the FDA had "ruled, on multiple occasions, that cosmetic grade talc is a safe substance when used as intended and further ruled that manufacturers need not provide any warnings on, or in connection with the sale of, cosmetic grade talc-containing products."

A spokesperson for the company previously told Newsweek: "Johnson's Baby Powder has been a trusted product for more than 100 years, and decades of independent scientific evaluations have repeatedly confirmed that Johnson's Baby Powder does not cause cancer."

What's Next

A magistrate judge has set deadlines for both sides. The trial is expected to begin by August 4, 2025, according to the scheduling order.