Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $4.7 billion in damages to 22 women who alleged that its talc products caused them to develop ovarian cancer.
A jury in the US state of Missouri initially awarded $550 million in compensation and added $4.1 billion in punitive damages, reports BBC.
The verdict comes as the pharmaceutical giant battles some 9,000 legal cases involving its signature baby powder.
J&J said it was ‘deeply disappointed’ and plans to appeal.
In the six-week trial, the women and their families said they developed ovarian cancer after using baby powder and other talc products for decades.
Of the 22 women represented in this case, six have died from ovarian cancer.
Their lawyers alleged the company knew its talc was contaminated with asbestos since the 1970s but failed to warn consumers about the risks.
