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Forty-three state attorneys general on Tuesday announced a $700 million nationwide settlement with Johnson & Johnson through a consent judgment that ends claims the company misled consumers about the safety of its talc products.

Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and other state attorneys general revealed that the consent judgment was filed in Suffolk Superior Court and is pending judicial approval. Under the agreement, Johnson & Johnson will cease making and selling talc products in the U.S. Thousands of lawsuits have alleged that these products contained asbestos and caused cancer.

Johnson & Johnson $700 million talc deal : Consumer Protection

"For decades, Johnson & Johnson prioritized its own financial profit and risked the health and safety of consumers, including vulnerable infants and children, by deceiving consumers about the purity of its products," Campbell said in a statement. "I am proud to join this multistate settlement, which will stop the company from continuing its harmful practices and protect consumers both in Massachusetts and nationwide."

The deal, initially announced in January, is a significant step toward resolving the ongoing talc litigation against Johnson & Johnson.

Company Response

"Consistent with the plan we outlined last year, the company continues to pursue several paths to achieve a comprehensive and final resolution of the talc litigation," Johnson & Johnson said in a statement. "That progress includes the finalization of a previously announced agreement that the company reached with a consortium of 43 state attorneys general to resolve their talc claims."

The Johnson & Johnson $700 million talc deal marks a major development in the ongoing legal battles surrounding the safety of the company’s talc products. With the consent judgment pending approval, the settlement aims to address the health concerns raised by consumers and state authorities alike.