Most of us grew up in Australia with that unmistakable baby powder smell that evoked clean nappies and freshly bathed babies. It was in almost every nursery, including I'm sure liberally applied by my parents my baby tush. So when news broke this week that Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay an estimated $5.5 billion USD to settle tens of thousands of talc-related lawsuits in the US, I know a lot of Australians are asking the same question: is this something I need to worry about?
The Johnson & Johnson products covered include:
- Johnson’s Baby Powder
- Shower to Shower
- Johnson’s Kids’ Powder
- Teal Luxury Talc
- Vemo Deodorant
Here's what's actually going on, and what it means if you're in Australia.
A quick note before we start: I'm not a lawyer or a doctor, and nothing here is legal or medical advice. If you're thinking about joining the Australian class action, or you have health concerns of your own, please speak with a legal firm or your GP directly.
What's actually happened?
On 28 July 2026, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay around $5.5 billion USD to resolve tens of thousands of US lawsuits, reportedly covering close to 99.75% of the remaining talc-related claims against the company. It's still waiting on a judge's final approval, so it's not fully done and dusted yet, but it's being described as a major step toward closing out more than a decade of litigation.
It follows several earlier, failed attempts by J&J to resolve these claims by putting a subsidiary through bankruptcy. This settlement is different: it's a direct negotiation with the people bringing the claims, rather than a legal workaround.
For what it's worth, J&J still maintains its talc-based products were safe and didn't cause cancer. A settlement isn't the same as an admission of guilt in a legal sense — but when a company agrees to pay out billions rather than keep fighting tens of thousands of individual cases, it's hard not to read something into that.
Is there a class action here in Australia too?
Yes. Shine Lawyers has been investigating a class action since 2023, and more than 1,300 Australian women have already registered — women who believe their cancer was linked to using Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products.
The action covers anyone diagnosed with ovarian cancer or other cancers of the female reproductive system, after regular, prolonged use of talcum powder branded under the Johnson's or Johnson & Johnson name, roughly between 1971 and 2023. It alleges the products were defective, unsafe, not fit for purpose, and didn't meet the standard required under Australian Consumer Law.
This is a completely separate legal process to the US settlement, with its own Australian timeline, so the US news doesn't automatically flow through here. If this feels relevant to you or someone you love, here is the link to the Shine Lawyers Talcum Powder Class Action page.
Okay, but does talc actually cause cancer?
What's not really in dispute: talc that's contaminated with asbestos is a clear cancer risk. Talc and asbestos can occur naturally in the same underground deposits, and if talc isn't carefully sourced and purified, contamination is a real, documented possibility.
What's not as scientifically clear: whether pure, asbestos-free talc used on the body (particularly in the genital area) is linked to ovarian cancer. Some studies have found a link. Others, including some of the larger, more rigorous long-term studies, haven't. In 2024, the International Agency for Research on Cancer updated its classification of talc to "probably carcinogenic" — the second-highest risk category, alongside things like red meat and glyphosate.
Researchers have described the overall picture as a weak but real increase in risk for some types of ovarian cancer, and no evidence of any link to uterine or cervical cancer.
So where does that leave us? Somewhere in the honest, uncomfortable middle — which is exactly the kind of uncertainty that makes a precautionary approach feel like common sense, especially for something used on a baby's skin and in sensitive genital areas by people of all ages.
Why we've never sold talc baby powder
Long before this was making headlines, we made the decision at Biome to avoid talc and instead offer a simpler, plant-based talcum powder alternative.
Concerns about the link between talc and cancer first surfaced in the scientific literature in the early 1970s, with the first major epidemiological study that is often cited as the turning point published in 1982.
However, Johnson & Johnson did not move away from talc until 2022, reformulating their baby powder to a cornstarch-based product. They've called it a commercial decision rather than a safety one — but if a product's genuinely safe, it's a fair question to ask why a company would walk away from a decades-old, trusted formula rather than simply stand behind it.
What should I do if I'm worried?
A few honest, practical thoughts:
If you're using talc-based powder on yourself or your baby right now
There's no need to panic. This is about long-term, cumulative exposure and risk, not a single use. But it's a reasonable moment to check the label, and to think about switching to a talc-free alternative going forward.
It is easy to identify powders that are talc based as they will likely be called Talc Powder, and the ingredients will list Talc or Hydrated Magnesium Silicate, which is the other name for the mineral talc. Here are some of the talcum powders we found for sale in Australia. We are not claiming these are unsafe, but pointing out the ingredients.
If you think this might be personally relevant to you
If you are concerned due to your own health history or use of these products, reach out to Shine Lawyers directly (linked above), or speak with your GP.
If you're simply looking for a gentler alternative going forward
That part, we can absolutely help with.
Biome offers Nature's Child Talc Free Baby Powder that can be used for all ages. We know many grown ups love to use a body powder also, and the Nature's Child contains simply Tapioca starch, Kaolin white clay) and Lavender essential oil.
And, we've put together a full guide on what to use instead of baby powder for babies.
And if you want to understand more about talc itself, our guide Is Baby Powder Safe? goes into more detail.
FAQs
Is the Johnson & Johnson settlement final?
Not quite — it still needs approval from the judge overseeing the case, and is conditional on a high level of claimant participation. It's a major step, but not the very last word.
Does the US settlement affect the Australian class action?
No, they're separate legal processes with separate timelines. The Australian class action, led by Shine Lawyers, follows Australian law and its own court process.
Is Johnson & Johnson baby powder still sold with talc in Australia?
Johnson & Johnson reformulated its baby powder to a cornstarch base in 2022. If you have an older bottle, it's worth checking the ingredients list to see which formula you have.
This article is general information only, based on publicly reported news as at July 2026, and isn't legal or medical advice. If any part of this is personally relevant to you, please speak with a legal professional or your doctor.
