Asbestos in Products
In 2023, Congress passed a new law requiring that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration release new industry standards for asbestos testing in products. The agency will require all talc-containing products to be tested for asbestos. This new proposal follows years of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other companies alleging their products were contaminated…
Mesothelioma is a hard cancer to treat that is mainly caused by asbestos. People with this cancer typically do not live very long after diagnosis, but some people live longer than expected. A study recently published in the journal Toxics looked at people with mesothelioma and asbestos-caused lung cancer. All patients were around asbestos between…
Johnson & Johnson may try to file bankruptcy for a third time to address its talc liabilities. The company has failed twice before but is looking again to file for bankruptcy under a different corporate structure. There are around 51,000 lawsuits claiming that people who used Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products now have cancer because…
The Center for Asbestos Related Disease in Libby, Montana recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The center, known as CARD, had to pay $6 million because it submitted 337 false asbestos claims. The lawsuit revealing this information was filed by the BNSF Railway under the Federal False Claims Act. Private companies can sue on…
A lawyer for Johnson & Johnson must stop making unsubstantiated claims about support from plaintiffs for an $8.9 billion settlement for talc victims without backing up the claims. The lawyer was ordered to halt statements after a late June hearing in Trenton, New Jersey. Plaintiffs’ attorneys investigated the claims that Johnson & Johnson secured commitments…
Significant changes were made to ensure cosmetic safety. This was done through the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, which is one of the biggest changes in cosmetic safety by the Food and Drug Administration since the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed in 1938. Americans use anywhere from six to 12…
A United Kingdom study is showing the dangers of legacy asbestos. Asbestos that remains in commercial and residential buildings can be more dangerous than previously thought. Researchers from the study found that two-thirds of the asbestos still in buildings was old enough or damaged enough to release fibers into the air. Around one million samples…
Talcum powder, commonly known as baby powder, is a product that absorbs moisture, prevents rashes and skin irritations, and keeps skin dry. Safe enough to use on delicate newborn skin, talcum powder has been a household staple for decades and many women have been using it for years for feminine hygiene. However, studies have shown…
Asbestos was once considered something of a wonder material for its durability and its resistance to heat and corrosion. There was a time when it could be found in textiles, drywall, clothing, gaskets, insulation, cement, pumps, brakes, machinery and other building materials. That changed years ago when it was discovered that asbestos exposure could be linked to…
Under the Obama Administration, The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was updated to give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) more authority to ban asbestos completely in the United States. The carcinogen was originally banned in 1989, but by 1991 the ruling was over-turned. Anti-asbestos advocates have been fighting ever since to ban all uses of…
