Judge Rejects J & J's Request to Transfer Talc Proceedings to Federal Court

A federal judge on Friday dismissed Johnson & Johnson's request to return approximately 2,400 court cases for its talcum powder to a Delaware district court, referring cases to state courts.

J & J asked to transfer the records, which allege that her baby powder contained asbestos and caused ovarian cancer and other cancers, from state courts to a Delaware district court, after his talc supplier Imerys, who had himself sued, had already filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware this year.

In a ruling on Friday, Justice Maryellen Noreika said the Delaware Federal Court had no authority over the lawsuits against J & J simply because the J & J provider had filed for bankruptcy. Noreika also stated that J & J had failed to take legal action against the company, but was directly affecting Imerys and its bankruptcy procedures.

"The judges of states that are already dealing with these cases are better able to hear petitions before them than this Court, which should hear thousands of cases and enforce different national laws," she said. declared.

This denial leaves J & J at the mercy of dozens of different courts and judges. State courts have so far yielded mixed results in the J & J case. A Missouri jury ordered the company to pay $ 4.69 billion to 22. women who had alleged that her talcum powdered baby powder contained asbestos and caused them ovarian cancer.

"We are disappointed with this decision, which would have simplified the process of reviewing current cases and improved the overall efficiency of all parties involved," said a spokeswoman for J & J in a statement. .

The company said its position that baby powder is "safe and does not cause cancer has not changed" and that it will continue to "vigorously defend" its products in court.

J & J faces more than 14,000 lawsuits alleging that its baby powder would be at the origin of ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.

WATCH: "We think unequivocally that our baby powder does not contain asbestos," said Johnson & Johnson's chief executive