Johnson & Johnson has $223 million cancer verdict thrown out by court

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Johnson & Johnson saw a $223 million verdict thrown out by a court Tuesday as the company was facing lawsuits that alleged its products were causing customers to develop cancer.

An appeals court in the American state of New Jersey decided to throw out the settlement after the pharmaceutical company argued that testimony by a scientific expert should not have been presented to the jury.

The appeals court concluded that the lower court should not have allowed some of the testimony.

Four plaintiffs argued that the company's talc powder products were the reason for developing cancer.

Johnson & Johnson had agreed in April to pay $8.9 billion in the next 25 years to settle claims that its baby powder and other talc products cause cancer. The company, however, had refused to accept the claims.