Jury says Johnson & Johnson owes $65.5M to woman with cancer who used talcum powderA Minnesota jury has awarded $65.5 million to a woman who claimed talcum products made by Johnson & Johnson exposed her to asbestos and contributed to her developing mesotheliomaByThe Associated PressDecember 19, 2025, 8:38 PMST. PAUL, Minn. -- A Minnesota jury awarded $65.5 million on Friday to a mother of three who claimed talcum products made by Johnson & Johnson exposed her to asbestos and contributed to her developing cancer in the lining of her lungs. Jurors determined that plaintiff Anna Jean Houghton Carley, 37, should be compensated by Johnson & Johnson after using its baby powder throughout her childhood and later developing mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer caused primarily by exposure to the carcinogen asbestos. Johnson & Johnson said it would appeal the verdict. During a 13-day trial in Ramsey County District Court, Carley's legal team argued the pharmaceutical giant sold and marketed talc-based products to consumers despite knowing it can be contaminated with asbestos.
