Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), opens new tab on Tuesday said it had reached a tentative settlement to resolve probes by U.S. states into whether it misled consumers about the safety of its talc products, which thousands of lawsuits claim can cause cancer.
The deal includes 42 states and Washington, D.C. The company tentatively agreed to pay about $700 million to settle the states’ claims, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“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,” Erik Haas, J&J’s worldwide vice president of litigation, said in a statement.
The settlement does not extend to private plaintiffs’ cases against the company, some of which are expected to go to trial later this year.
J&J has maintained that its now-discontinued talc products are safe and do not cause cancer. It previously set aside $400 million to resolve state claims.