Nevada getting $6M in Johnson & Johnson settlement

Attorney General Aaron Ford announced Wednesday that Nevada will be receiving upwards of $6 million in a settlement against Johnson &Johnson relating to allegations of “deceptive trade practices.”

Ford joined 42 other attorneys general in reaching this multimillion dollar settlement over the marketing of the company’s popular baby powder and body powder products.

The plaintiffs alleged that Johnson &Johnson misled consumers in advertisements that related to the safety and purity of its products that contained talcum powder, Ford wrote in a press release.

According to the American Cancer Society, talc, a mineral composed of magnesium, silicon and oxygen, has been linked in some studies to a greater risk of ovarian cancer.

Ford explained that while this lawsuit targeted deceptive marketing practices, “numerous other lawsuits” filed by private plaintiffs address these health concerns.

“My office will always stand up against corporations who value their bottom line over their duty to the public,” Ford said. “We will always work to hold such actors accountable.”

As part of the settlement, Johnson &Johnson will stop making and selling products that contain talc, such as Johnson’s Baby Powder and Johnson’s Shower to Shower, a body powder.

The company had already “decided to permanently discontinue” talc-based baby powder in May of 2020, a move that Ford said occurred after “the coalition of states began investigating.”

In total, Johnson &Johnson will be paying out $700 million to the 43 state plaintiffs.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335.