A special master hearing evidence in the consolidated talc litigation has urged the court to reject a key plaintiff expert’s test for asbestos, undermining claims that talcum powder causes ovarian cancer. Retired judge Freda Wolfson said in a report that William Longo’s test methodology lacks reliability and was developed for litigation purposes.
Background
Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Baby Powder, has been facing over 68,000 lawsuits in the federal multidistrict litigation. The company maintains that talcum powder does not contain asbestos and cannot cause ovarian cancer. Longo, a material scientist, has made millions of dollars providing expert testimony for plaintiffs in asbestos lawsuits.
Judge Wolfson’s recommendation could remove a crucial support for the plaintiff claims if accepted by U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp. Johnson & Johnson will continue to push for the exclusion of all Longo’s testing, which the company claims falsely finds asbestos contamination in talc.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
