Johnson & Johnson controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2021
Johnson & Johnson agrees to $230 million New York opioid settlement
Settlement
Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay about $230 million to resolve claims by New York that it helped fuel the opioid crisis. The agreement removes the company as a defendant in a broader opioid trial; J&J did not admit liability or wrongdoing.
Stated objective. Resolve claims brought by New York's attorney general.
Source excerpt
J&J did not admit liability or wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.
2021
National Council of Negro Women files talcum powder lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson
Lawsuit filed
The National Council of Negro Women, represented by attorney Ben Crump and his team, filed a lawsuit alleging that Johnson & Johnson endangered people by marketing talcum powder products directly to Black women. The lawsuit alleges the company knew of talcum's dangers as early as the 1960s; the supplied source reports allegations, not a court finding.
Source excerpt
The National Council of Negro Women is the latest organization to take aim at one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Johnson & Johnson. On behalf of the council, attorney and his team have filed a lawsuit alleging that the pharmaceutical endangered countless people by marketing "cancerous" talcum powder products directly to Black women.
As time went on and information regarding the dangers of talcum became more readily available, Johnson & Johnson allegedly considered recruiting and Aretha Franklin to market products to Black consumers on their behalf.
2021
Consumers file class-action lawsuit over recalled sunscreens
Lawsuit filed
Johanna Dominguez and Sharron Meijer filed a class-action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California over affected sunscreen products, seeking an injunction and damages on behalf of consumers.
Source excerpt
The recalled products were named in a May reportby Valisure, an independent testing lab in New Haven, Connecticut, for having high levels of benzene in at least some batches.
The lawsuit, filed by Johanna Dominguez and Sharron Meijer in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks an injunction and damages on behalf of consumers who purchased the affected products.
The affected products include the Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen and four Neutrogena sunscreens: Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, CoolDry Sport aerosol sunscreen, Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen and UltraSheer aerosol sunscreen.
2021
Lawsuit filed over DePuy Attune Knee System
Lawsuit filed
A plaintiff and his family filed suit against DePuy Orthopedics and Johnson & Johnson, alleging defects and other product-liability claims concerning an implanted Attune Knee System.
Source excerpt
the plaintiffs alleged that the new Attune system in fact had higher failure rates of the tibial baseplate and frequently require knee revision surgeries to remove and replace the defective device
On Friday, a case was filed in the Southern District of Mississippi. The case was filed by a plaintiff family against DePuy Orthopedics Inc. and Johnson & Johnson as the parent company.
2020
Washington state sues Johnson & Johnson over opioid marketing
Lawsuit filed
Washington state filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, alleging that the company used deceptive marketing to claim its drugs were effective for treating pain and unlikely to cause addiction. The lawsuit alleges violations of the state's Consumer Protection Act, negligence, and public nuisance. The action concerns the company's opioid marketing practices as described in the filing.
Washington state sued Johnson & Johnson, alleging that it used deceptive marketing to claim its drugs were effective for treating pain and unlikely to cause addiction. The lawsuit alleges violations of the state's Consumer Protection Act, negligence, and public nuisance.
Source excerpt
The lawsuit, which seeks civil penalties and damages, was filed in King County Superior Court. It says the company violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act, was negligent and a public nuisance.
SEATTLE — Washington state sued Johnson & Johnson on Thursday, claiming the company was negligent when it used deceptive marketing to say the drugs were effective for treating pain and were unlikely to cause addiction.
By fueling the opioid epidemic with deceptive marketing to both doctors and the public, the lawsuit says, Johnson and & Johnson is responsible for the deaths of Washingtonians from opioids and the devastation of families touched by addiction.
2020
Johnson & Johnson reaches $3.9 million West Virginia settlement
Settlement
In 2020, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey reached a $3.9 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson and specialty corporations. The settlement resolved allegations of unlawful, unfair and deceptive marketing of surgical-mesh devices and hip-replacement systems. Johnson & Johnson and its specialty corporations denied the allegations. The event was reported on May 7, 2020.
Company response
Denial — Johnson & Johnson and its specialty corporations
Source excerpt
The attorney general’s lawsuit claimed Johnson & Johnson, along with subsidiaries Ethicon Inc. and Ethicon US LLC, misrepresented the effectiveness, properties, risks and safety history of the surgical-mesh products in marketing and educational materials provided to patients and doctors, in personal meetings and in published medical articles.
2020
Missouri appeals court upholds Johnson & Johnson talc verdict and reduces damages
Ruling
A Missouri appeals court rejected Johnson & Johnson's bid to overturn a jury verdict in favor of women who blamed their ovarian cancer on its baby powder and other talc products, while reducing damages to $2.12 billion. The court said plaintiffs had proven that J&J and an affiliate concealed that talc products contained asbestos and downplayed safety hazards. J&J said it would appeal and maintained that its talc was safe and asbestos-free.
Company response
Denial — Johnson & Johnson
We remain confident that our talc is safe, asbestos free, and does not cause cancer.
Source excerpt
A Missouri appeals court on Tuesday rejected Johnson & Johnson's bid to throw out a jury verdict in favor of women who blamed their ovarian cancer on its baby powder and other talc products, but reduced damages by more than half to $2.12 billion.
We remain confident that our talc is safe, asbestos free, and does not cause cancer.
But it said the plaintiffs proved that J&J and an affiliate concealed for decades that its talc products contained asbestos, "worked tirelessly" to ensure that testing protocols would not detect asbestos in all talc samples, and published articles downplaying the safety hazards of talc.
2020
Former Johnson & Johnson executive files discrimination lawsuit
Lawsuit filed
A former Johnson & Johnson executive, Gina Bilotti, filed a lawsuit against the company alleging sex and gender discrimination, verbal abuse, and retaliation. The allegations are presented as claims made in the lawsuit rather than as established findings. The filing was reported on December 17, 2020. The report identifies Bilotti as a former executive of the company and describes the suit as centering on claims of sexism. No determinations by a court or other adjudicative body are described in the source account.
Former Johnson & Johnson executive Gina Bilotti filed a lawsuit against the company alleging sex and gender discrimination, verbal abuse, and retaliation. The allegations are reported as claims in the lawsuit, not as established findings.
Source excerpt
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in the Superior Court of New Jersey in Essex County.
Warren resident and former Johnson & Johnson executive Gina Bilotti filed a lawsuit against her former employer alleging sex and gender discrimination after she says she endured persistent verbal abuse from her male supervisors before her career was sabotaged.
2020
Oregon reaches $5.5 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson
Settlement
Oregon announced a $5.5 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon over alleged deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices. The settlement requires court approval to become final.
Source excerpt
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced Friday a $5.5 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon, Inc. for deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices.
The settlement has been filed and requires court approval to become final.
2019
Johnson & Johnson recalls a batch of baby powder in the United States
Recall announced
Johnson & Johnson announced a voluntary recall in the United States limited to one batch of its baby powder produced and shipped in 2018, after the FDA reported finding asbestos in a sample. The company said it was investigating and working with the FDA to assess the sample and test results.
Stated objective. Consumers' safety is our top priority.
Company response
Recall — Johnson & Johnson
出于充分谨慎的考虑，我们决定在美国主动召回单一批次的强生婴儿爽身粉。
Investigation — Johnson & Johnson
同时，我们在对此事件进行严谨、彻底的调查，我们正与美国食品药品监督管理局共同确认此次检测的样品的完整性以及此次检测结果的准确性。
Source excerpt
强生公司表示，此次自愿召回仅限于2018年在美国生产和运输的一批强生婴儿爽身粉。
出于充分谨慎的考虑，我们决定在美国主动召回单一批次的强生婴儿爽身粉。
强生公司在一次电话会议上说，它在10月17日收到了FDA的一份报告，提醒公司注意石棉的发现。
2019
Idaho reaches settlement with Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon
Settlement
Idaho's attorney general reached a settlement in a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon. According to the source, a multistate investigation found that the companies misrepresented the safety of transvaginal surgical mesh devices and did not disclose the possibility of severe complications. The report states that $1.6 million is to be deposited into Idaho's Consumer Protection Fund.
Company response
Recall — Johnson & Johnson
today's announcement of a recall by Johnson & Johnson of more than 30,000 bottles of its Baby Powder sold in 2018
Source excerpt
A multistate investigation found the company had misrepresented the safety of transvaginal surgical mesh devices the companies sold, according to the release.
A total of $1.6 million will be deposited into Idaho’s Consumer Protection Fund as a result of a settlement Idaho’s attorney general reached in a lawsuit against medical and pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson.
The company did not tell consumers or surgeons about the possibility of severe medical complications possible after a device had been implanted.
2019
Johnson & Johnson reaches opioid claims settlement with Ohio counties
Settlement
Johnson & Johnson announced a $20.4 million agreement to settle claims brought by Cuyahoga and Summit counties in the first federal opioids case. The company did not admit wrongdoing.
Source excerpt
Johnson & Johnson became the fourth drugmaker to avoid going to trial in the first federal opioids case, announcing Tuesday that it had reached a $20.4 million agreement to settle claims raised by two Ohio counties.
2019
Oregon sues Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon over surgical mesh marketing
Lawsuit filed
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and subsidiary Ethicon, alleging deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices and failure to disclose potential complications. The claims are allegations in the complaint; no determination is reported.
Source excerpt
at least 3,700 Oregon women had these devices implanted without J&J providing sufficient information to allow them to adequately weigh the risks and benefits of the full range of treatment options.
filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Ethicon, Inc., alleging deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices to women in Oregon by failing to disclose the dangerous complications sometimes arising from the devices.
2019
Woman sues Johnson & Johnson over alleged baby powder asbestos contamination
Lawsuit filed
A Big Island woman sued Johnson & Johnson, claiming asbestos contamination in its talc-based baby powder caused her mesothelioma. The article reports the claim and does not establish a court determination.
Source excerpt
Jacqueline Becker, an Ahualoa horsewoman diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos, is suing Johnson & Johnson, claiming her illness was caused by its talc-based baby powder, which FDA testing found to contain asbestos.
2010
Japanese antitrust corrective order concerning contact-lens price displays
Japan’s Fair Trade Commission found that Johnson & Johnson’s Japanese business had restricted certain retailers from displaying prices in advertisements for selected ACUVUE disposable-contact-lens packages. A corrective order required measures to prevent recurrence.
1982
Tylenol tampering deaths
Several people died after cyanide was introduced into Tylenol packages in the Chicago area. Johnson & Johnson recalled products, mobilized employees, and supported tamper-resistant packaging. The response is widely discussed as a crisis-management case, while the incident itself was criminal tampering rather than a manufacturing defect established against the company.
Talc-product litigation
Johnson & Johnson has faced extensive litigation alleging that talc-containing products were linked to cancer and asbestos exposure. The company has disputed the allegations and the legal matters have involved multiple proceedings, appeals, settlements, and restructuring-related proposals. Specific case outcomes and financial figures are not summarized here because they vary by jurisdiction and date.