J&J proposes $8.9B talcum powder settlement, but critics cries foul

Under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan, Johnson & Johnson proposed paying $8.9 billion to resolve thousands of lawsuits claiming its talcum powder caused cancer.
More than 60,000 plaintiffs agreed to support the settlement for talc users diagnosed with cancer before April 1 to receive payment within a year and those later paid over 25 years.
Critics argue the settlement favors J&J by removing juries and limiting payouts while allowing the company to avoid admitting wrongdoing.
J&J continues to deny scientific evidence linking talc to cancer but aims to resolve litigation that could otherwise take decades.
A bankruptcy judge must still approve the settlement, though J&J's stock rose on the news.