XML 70 R29.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.25.0.1

Legal proceedings | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 29, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Legal proceedings | Legal proceedings Johnson & Johnson and certain of its subsidiaries are involved in various lawsuits and claims regarding product liability; intellectual property; commercial; indemnification and other matters; governmental investigations; and other legal proceedings that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of their business. The Company records accruals for loss contingencies associated with these legal matters when it is probable that a liability will be incurred, and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. As of December 29, 2024, the Company has determined that the liabilities associated with certain litigation matters are probable and can be reasonably estimated. The Company has accrued for these matters and will continue to monitor each related legal issue and adjust accruals as might be warranted based on new information and further developments in accordance with ASC 450-20-25. For these and other litigation and regulatory matters discussed below for which a loss is probable or reasonably possible, the Company is unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss beyond the amounts accrued. Amounts accrued for legal contingencies often result from a complex series of judgments about future events and uncertainties that rely heavily on estimates and assumptions including timing of related payments. The ability to make such estimates and judgments can be affected by various factors including, among other things, whether damages sought in the proceedings are unsubstantiated or indeterminate; scientific and legal discovery has not commenced or is not complete; proceedings are in early stages; matters present legal uncertainties; there are significant facts in dispute; procedural or jurisdictional issues; the uncertainty and unpredictability of the number of potential claims; ability to achieve comprehensive multi-party settlements; complexity of related cross-claims and counterclaims; and/or there are numerous parties involved. To the extent adverse awards, judgments or verdicts have been rendered against the Company, the Company does not record an accrual until a loss is determined to be probable and can be reasonably estimated. In the Company’s opinion, based on its examination of these matters, its experience to date and discussions with counsel, the ultimate outcome of legal proceedings, net of liabilities accrued in the Company’s balance sheet, is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position. However, the resolution of, or increase in accruals for, one or more of these matters in any reporting period may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations and cash flows for that period. Matters concerning talc A significant number of personal injury claims alleging that talc causes cancer have been asserted against the Company and its affiliates arising out of the use of body powders containing talc, primarily JOHNSON’S Baby Powder. In talc cases that have gone to trial, the Company has obtained a number of defense verdicts, but there also have been verdicts against the Company, many of which have been reversed on appeal. In June 2020, the Missouri Court of Appeals reversed in part and affirmed in part a July 2018 verdict of $4.7 billion in Ingham v. Johnson & Johnson, et al., No. ED 207476 (Mo. App.), reducing the overall award to $2.1 billion. An application for transfer of the case to the Missouri Supreme Court was subsequently denied, and in June 2021, a petition for certiorari, seeking a review of the Ingham decision by the United States Supreme Court, was denied. In June 2021, the Company paid the award, which, including interest, totaled approximately $2.5 billion. The facts and circumstances, including the terms of the award, were unique to the Ingham decision and not representative of other claims brought against the Company. The Company continues to believe that it has strong legal grounds to contest the other talc verdicts that it has appealed. Notwithstanding the Company’s confidence in the safety of its talc products, in certain circumstances the Company has settled cases. In June 2014, the Mississippi Attorney General filed a complaint against the Company alleging violation of the Mississippi Consumer Protection Act by failing to disclose alleged health risks associated with female consumers’ use of talc contained in JOHNSON’S Baby Powder and JOHNSON’S Shower to Shower (a product divested in 2012). The Company has reached an agreement to resolve this matter. In January 2020, the State of New Mexico filed a consumer protection case alleging that the Company deceptively marketed and sold its talcum powder products by making misrepresentations about the safety of the products and the presence of carcinogens, including asbestos. The Company has reached an agreement to resolve this matter. Forty-two states and the District of Columbia commenced a joint investigation into the Company’s marketing of its talcum powder products. In January 2024, the Company reached an agreement in principle with the multi-state group of state Attorneys General, subject to ongoing negotiation of non-monetary terms. In June 2024, the settlements were finalized. In October 2021, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (Old JJCI) implemented a corporate restructuring (the 2021 Corporate Restructuring). As a result of that restructuring, Old JJCI ceased to exist and three new entities were created: (a) LTL Management LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company (LTL or Debtor); (b) Royalty A&M LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company and a direct subsidiary of LTL (RAM); and (c) the Debtor’s direct parent, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., a New Jersey company (New JJCI). The Debtor received certain of Old JJCI’s assets and became solely responsible for the talc-related liabilities of Old JJCI, including all liabilities related in any way to injury or damage, or alleged injury or damage, sustained or incurred in the purchase or use of, or exposure to, talc, including talc contained in any product, or to the risk of, or responsibility for, any such damage or injury, except for any liabilities for which the exclusive remedy is provided under a workers’ compensation statute or act (the Talc-Related Liabilities). In October 2021, notwithstanding the Company’s confidence in the safety of its talc products, the Debtor filed a voluntary petition with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Charlotte Division, seeking relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the LTL Bankruptcy Case). All litigation against LTL, Old JJCI, New JJCI, the Company, other of their corporate affiliates, identified retailers, insurance companies, and certain other parties (the Protected Parties) was stayed. The LTL Bankruptcy Case was transferred to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. Claimants filed motions to dismiss the LTL Bankruptcy Case and, following a multiple day hearing, the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court denied those motions in March 2022. The claimants subsequently filed notices of appeal as to the denial of the motions to dismiss the LTL Bankruptcy Case and the extension of the stay to the Protected Parties. On January 30, 2023, the Third Circuit reversed the Bankruptcy Court’s ruling and remanded to the Bankruptcy Court to dismiss the LTL bankruptcy. In April 2023, the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court dismissed the LTL Bankruptcy Case, effectively lifting the stay as to all parties and returning the talc litigation to the tort system. LTL re-filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey seeking relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the LTL 2 Bankruptcy Case). As a result of the new filing, all talc claims against LTL were again automatically stayed pursuant to section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code. Additionally, the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court issued a temporary restraining order staying all litigation as to LTL, Old JJCI, New JJCI, the Company, identified retailers, and certain other parties (the New Protected Parties). Also in April 2023, the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court issued a decision that granted limited injunctive relief to the Company and the New Protected Parties (the LTL 2 Preliminary Injunction). The LTL 2 Preliminary Injunction remained in force until late August 2023, following the Bankruptcy Court’s extension of the initial LTL 2 Preliminary Injunction in June 2023. Under the LTL 2 Preliminary Injunction, except for those cases filed in the federal court ovarian cancer multi-district litigation, discovery in all personal injury and wrongful death matters was permitted to proceed. Furthermore, in April 2023, the Talc Claimants' Committee filed a motion to dismiss the LTL 2 Bankruptcy followed by similar motions from other claimants. Hearings on the motions to dismiss occurred in June 2023. In July 2023, the court dismissed the LTL 2 Bankruptcy case and, the same day, the Company stated its intent to appeal the decision and to continue its efforts to obtain a resolution of the talc claims. In September 2023, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order granting LTL leave to seek a direct appeal to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In October 2023, the Third Circuit granted LTL’s petition for a direct appeal. In July 2024, the Third Circuit issued a non-precedential opinion affirming the Bankruptcy Court's decision to dismiss the LTL Bankruptcy case. In October 2023, the Company stated that it was pursuing the following four parallel and alternative pathways to achieve a comprehensive and final resolution of the talc claims: (i) the appeal of the LTL 2 dismissal decision; (ii) pursuing a consensual “prepackaged” bankruptcy case, as “strongly encouraged” by the Bankruptcy Court in its dismissal decision; (iii) aggressively litigating the talc claims in the tort system; and (iv) pursuing affirmative claims against experts for false and defamatory narratives regarding the Company’s talc powder products. In December 2023, LTL changed its state of formation to Texas and its name to LLT Management LLC ("LLT"). Following the dismissal of LTL 2, new lawsuits were filed, cases across the country that had been stayed were reactivated, and trials have commenced. The majority of the cases are pending in federal court, organized in a multi-district litigation (MDL) in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. In the MDL, case-specific discovery proceeded. The MDL proceedings have been stayed by order of the bankruptcy court in the Red River Bankruptcy case discussed below. In March 2024, the court granted the Company's motion for a renewed Daubert hearing prior to the trial. The briefing on the renewed Daubert issues was completed in August 2024. In May 2024, the Company commenced a three-month solicitation period of its proposed consensual “prepackaged” Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan (the “Proposed Plan”) for the comprehensive and final resolution of all current and future claims related to cosmetic talc in the United States, excluding claims related to mesothelioma or State consumer protection claims, in exchange for the payment by the Company of present value of approximately $6.475 billion payable over 25 years (nominal value of approximately $8.0 billion, discounted at a rate of 4.4%). The claims encompassed by the Proposed Plan constitute 99.75% of pending lawsuits against the Company relating to its talc powder products. In August 2024, LLT engaged in a restructuring that resulted in the creation of three new Texas limited liability companies: (a) Red River Talc, LLC ("Red River"); (b) Pecos River Talc LLC ("Pecos River"); and (3) New Holdco (Texas) LLC. As a result of this restructuring, all claims related to ovarian and other gynecological cancers were separated and allocated to Red River, and mesothelioma, governmental unit and certain other claims were allocated to Pecos River. In September 2024, while reiterating the Company's continued confidence in the safety of its talc products, Red River filed a voluntary petition with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, seeking relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (the Red River Bankruptcy Case), in furtherance of the Company's consensual "prepackaged" Proposed Plan. Red River also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order, seeking to extend the automatic stay to additional non-debtor entities. Prior to filing, the initial proposed plan was amended to, among other things, increase the proposed resolution by $1.75 billion. Shortly after Red River filed its Chapter 11 petition, the U.S. Trustee's office filed a motion to transfer venue in the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court, and thereafter, a motion to transfer venue and a motion to dismiss in the Texas Bankruptcy Court. A coalition of six plaintiff law firms also filed a motion to transfer venue and a motion to dismiss in the Texas Bankruptcy Court. In September 2024, the Texas Bankruptcy Court entered a temporary order enjoining the commencement or prosecution of all claims against Red River and certain non-debtor entities, including the Company, until October 11, 2024. The temporary order was extended in October 2024 and again in December 2024. The commencement and prosecution of all claims against Red River and certain non-debtor entities are currently enjoined until March 15, 2025. Also in September 2024, the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court denied the U.S. Trustee's motion to transfer venue without prejudice. In October 2024, the Texas Bankruptcy Court denied the motion to transfer venue from Texas to New Jersey Bankruptcy Court. A consolidated hearing to address, among other things, the motions to dismiss and plan confirmation is currently scheduled to begin on February 18, 2025. Mesothelioma and State consumer protection claims are being addressed outside the Proposed Plan. The Company separately has resolved 95% of the mesothelioma lawsuits filed to date and has resolved the State claims. To account for these settlements and the contemplated comprehensive resolution through the Proposed Plan, the Company recorded a cumulative incremental charge of approximately $5.0 billion, through the fourth fiscal quarter 2024. As of December 29, 2024, the total present value of the reserve is approximately $11.6 billion (or nominal value of approximately $13.5 billion), net of payments made in fiscal 2024. Approximately ten percent of the reserve is recorded as a current liability. The recorded amount remains the Company's best estimate of probable loss. In February 2019, the Company’s talc supplier, Imerys Talc America, Inc. and two of its affiliates, Imerys Talc Vermont, Inc. and Imerys Talc Canada, Inc. (collectively, Imerys) filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Code (the Bankruptcy Code) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Imerys Bankruptcy). The Imerys Bankruptcy relates to Imerys’s potential liability for personal injury from exposure to talcum powder sold by Imerys. In its bankruptcy, Imerys alleges it has claims against the Company for indemnification and rights to joint insurance proceeds. In its bankruptcy, Imerys proposed a Chapter 11 plan (the Imerys Plan) that contemplated all talc-related claims against it being channeled to a trust along with its alleged indemnification rights against the Company. Following confirmation and consummation of the plan, the trust would pay talc claims pursuant to proposed trust distribution procedures (the TDP) and then seek indemnification from the Company. In February 2021, Cyprus Mines Corporation (Cyprus), which had owned certain Imerys talc mines, filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code and filed its Disclosure Statement and Plan (the Cyprus Plan). The Cyprus Plan contemplates a settlement with Imerys and talc claimants where Cyprus would make a monetary contribution to a trust established under the Imerys Plan in exchange for an injunction against talc claims asserted against it and certain affiliated parties. Cyprus also asserts it has claims for indemnity against the Company arising out of talc personal injury claims. Under the Cyprus Plan, Cyprus would also contribute its alleged indemnification rights to the trust. In September 2023, Imerys and Cyprus filed amended plans of reorganization. The amended plans contemplate a similar construct as the prior Imerys and Cyprus Plans, including all talc claims against Imerys and Cyprus (and certain other protected parties) being channeled to a trust along with Imerys’s and Cyprus’s alleged indemnification rights against the Company. The Company opposed both plans on the basis that the plans inflated Imerys’s and Cyprus’s liability for talc claims and had the potential effect of imposing those inflated liabilities on the Company through the Company’s alleged indemnification obligations. In July 2024, the Company, Imerys, and Cyprus and certain of their affiliates (including their parent entities), and the tort claimants' committees and future claimants' representatives appointed in their respective Chapter 11 cases entered into a global settlement agreement (the Imerys Settlement Agreement) to resolve their ongoing disputes, including disputes raised in the Imerys and Cyprus bankruptcies. In August 2024, Imerys and Cyprus filed amended Chapter 11 plans and disclosure statements incorporating the terms of the settlement with the Company. In October 2024, the Imerys Bankruptcy Court entered an order approving the Imerys Settlement Agreement (the Settlement Order). The effectiveness of certain provisions of the settlement, including mutual releases, are subject to certain conditions, including the Imerys and Cyprus Plans being accepted by a sufficient number and amount of voting creditors to be confirmed under the Bankruptcy Code. Certain insurers have appealed the Settlement Order and sought a stay of the order pending appeal, which the Court denied on January 13, 2025. The briefing of the appeal in the District Court is scheduled to be completed in April 2025. On January 5, 2025, Imerys and Cyprus each filed a certification of voting results, indicating that their respective plan had been accepted by each voting class of creditors. A joint confirmation hearing for the plans is scheduled for April 2025. In February 2018, a securities class action lawsuit was filed against the Company and certain named officers in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleging that the Company violated the federal securities laws by failing to disclose alleged asbestos contamination in body powders containing talc, primarily JOHNSON’S Baby Powder, and that purchasers of the Company’s shares suffered losses as a result. In April 2019, the Company moved to dismiss the complaint. In December 2019, the Court denied, in part, the motion to dismiss. The case was stayed in May 2022 pursuant to the LTL Bankruptcy Case and was reopened in May 2023. In December 2023, the Court granted Plaintiff’s motion for class certification. In January 2024, Defendants filed a petition with the Third Circuit under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(f) for permission to appeal the Court’s order granting class certification, and in February 2024, the Third Circuit granted Defendants' petition. In February 2024, fact discovery closed, the Court ordered the parties to mediate, and stayed the case pending mediation. In May 2024, the parties participated in an unsuccessful mediation. In June 2024, at the parties' request, the Court lifted the stay for certain limited discovery, but otherwise kept the stay in place pending a decision from the Third Circuit on the 23(f) petition. Briefing on the 23(f) petition was completed in September 2024. In January 2025, the Third Circuit listed the appeal for oral argument in March 2025. Matters concerning opioids Beginning in 2014 and continuing to the present, the Company and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (JPI), along with other pharmaceutical companies, have been named in close to 3,500 lawsuits related to the marketing of opioids, including DURAGESIC, NUCYNTA and NUCYNTA ER. Similar lawsuits have also been filed by private plaintiffs and organizations, including but not limited to the following: individual plaintiffs on behalf of children born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS); hospitals; and health insurers/payors. To date, the Company and JPI have litigated two of the cases to judgment and have prevailed in both, either at trial or on appeal. In July 2021, the Company announced finalization of an agreement to settle the state and subdivision claims for up to $5.0 billion. Approximately 70% of the all-in settlement was paid by the end of fiscal fourth quarter 2024. A few government entities opted out of the settlement. In September 2024, the Company reached an agreement to resolve the hospital cases. The Company and JPI continue to defend the cases brought by the remaining government entity litigants as well as the cases brought by private litigants. In total, there are approximately 35 remaining opioid cases against the Company and JPI in various state courts, 390 remaining cases in the Ohio multi-district litigation (MDL), and 4 additional cases in other federal courts. In addition, the Province of British Columbia filed suit against the Company and its Canadian affiliate Janssen Inc., and many other industry members, in Canada. That action was certified as an opt in class action on behalf of other provincial/territorial and the federal governments in Canada in January 2025. Additional proposed class actions have been filed in Canada against the Company and Janssen Inc., and many other industry members, by and on behalf of people who used opioids (for personal injuries), municipalities and First Nations bands. The proposed class action in Quebec on behalf of residents diagnosed with opioid use disorder was authorized to proceed against Janssen Inc. and other industry members in April 2024; and leave to appeal was denied in October 2024. Starting in November 2019, a series of shareholder derivative complaints were filed against the Company as the nominal defendant and certain current and former directors and officers as defendants in the Superior Court of New Jersey. The complaint alleges breaches of fiduciary duties related to the marketing of opioids, and that the Company has suffered damages as a result of those alleged breaches. As of September 2024, all the complaints had been dismissed, and all appeals exhausted. Product liability The Company and certain of its subsidiaries are involved in numerous product liability claims and lawsuits involving multiple products. Claimants in these cases seek substantial compensatory and, where available, punitive damages. While the Company believes it has substantial defenses, it is not feasible to predict the ultimate outcome of litigation. From time to time, even if it has substantial defenses, the Company considers isolated settlements based on a variety of circumstances. The Company has accrued for these matters and will continue to monitor each related legal issue and adjust accruals as might be warranted based on new information and further developments in accordance with ASC 450-20-25, Contingencies. The Company accrues an estimate of the legal defense costs needed to defend each matter when those costs are probable and can be reasonably estimated. For certain of these matters, the Company has accrued additional amounts such as estimated costs associated with settlements, damages and other losses. Product liability accruals can represent projected product liability for thousands of claims around the world, each in different litigation environments and with different fact patterns. Changes to the accruals may be required in the future as additional information becomes available. The table below contains the most significant of these cases and provides the approximate number of plaintiffs in the United States with direct claims in pending lawsuits regarding injuries allegedly due to the relevant product or product category as of December 29, 2024:
Product or product category |  | Number of plaintiffs
Body powders containing talc, primarily JOHNSON’S Baby Powder |  | 62,830 |
DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System |  | 60 |
PINNACLE Acetabular Cup System |  | 910 |
Pelvic meshes |  | 5,990 |
ETHICON PHYSIOMESH Flexible Composite Mesh |  | 130 |
RISPERDAL |  | 7 |
ELMIRON |  | 2,170 |
The number of pending lawsuits is expected to fluctuate as certain lawsuits are settled or dismissed and additional lawsuits are filed. There may be additional claims that have not yet been filed. MedTech DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System In August 2010, DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. (DePuy) announced a worldwide voluntary recall of its ASR XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System (ASR Hip) used in hip replacement surgery. Claims for personal injury have been made against DePuy and the Company. Cases filed in federal courts in the United States have been organized as a multi-district litigation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Litigation has also been filed in countries outside of the United States, primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, India and Italy. In November 2013, DePuy reached an agreement with a Court-appointed committee of lawyers representing ASR Hip plaintiffs to establish a program to settle claims with eligible ASR Hip patients in the United States. This settlement program has resolved more than 10,000 claims, thereby bringing to resolution significant ASR Hip litigation activity in the United States. However, lawsuits in the United States remain, and the settlement program does not address litigation outside of the United States. The Company continues to receive information with respect to potential additional costs associated with this recall on a worldwide basis. The Company has established accruals for the costs associated with the United States settlement program and ASR Hip-related product liability litigation. DePuy PINNACLE Acetabular Cup System Claims for personal injury have also been made against DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. and the Company (collectively, DePuy) relating to the PINNACLE Acetabular Cup System used in hip replacement surgery. Product liability lawsuits continue to be filed, and the Company continues to receive information with respect to potential costs and the anticipated number of cases. Most cases filed in federal courts in the United States have been organized as a multi-district litigation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (Texas MDL). Beginning on June 1, 2022, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ceased transfer of new cases into the Texas MDL, and there are now cases pending in federal court outside the Texas MDL. Litigation also has been filed in state courts and in countries outside of the United States. During the first quarter of 2019, DePuy established a United States settlement program to resolve these cases. As part of the settlement program, adverse verdicts have been settled. The Company has established an accrual for product liability litigation associated with the PINNACLE Acetabular Cup System and the related settlement program. Ethicon Pelvic Mesh Claims for personal injury have been made against Ethicon, Inc. (Ethicon) and the Company arising out of Ethicon’s pelvic mesh devices used to treat stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. The Company continues to receive information with respect to potential costs and additional cases. Cases filed in federal courts in the United States had been organized as a multi-district litigation (MDL) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. In March 2021, the MDL Court entered an order closing the MDL. The MDL Court has remanded cases for trial to the jurisdictions where the case was originally filed and additional pelvic mesh lawsuits have been filed, and remain, outside of the MDL. The Company has settled or otherwise resolved the majority of the United States cases and the estimated costs associated with these settlements and the remaining cases are reflected in the Company’s accruals. In addition, class actions and individual personal injury cases or claims seeking damages for alleged injury resulting from Ethicon’s pelvic mesh devices have been commenced in various countries outside of the United States, including claims and cases in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Ireland, and class actions in Israel, Australia, Canada and South Africa. The vast majority of these actions are now resolved. The Company has established accruals with respect to product liability litigation associated with Ethicon’s pelvic mesh products. Ethicon Physiomesh Following a June 2016 worldwide market withdrawal of Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible Composite Mesh (Physiomesh), claims for personal injury have been made against Ethicon, Inc. (Ethicon) and the Company alleging personal injury arising out of the use of this hernia mesh device. Cases filed in federal courts in the United States have been organized as a multi-district litigation (MDL) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. A multi-county litigation (MCL) also has been formed in New Jersey state court and assigned to Atlantic County for cases pending in New Jersey. In addition to the matters in the MDL and MCL, there are additional lawsuits pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, which are part of the MDL for polypropylene mesh devices manufactured by C.R. Bard, Inc., and lawsuits pending in two New Jersey MCLs formed for Proceed/Proceed Ventral Patch and Prolene Hernia systems, and lawsuits pending outside the United States. In May 2021, Ethicon and lead counsel for the plaintiffs entered into a term sheet to resolve approximately 3,600 Physiomesh cases (covering approximately 4,300 plaintiffs) pending in the MDL and MCL at that time. A master settlement agreement (MSA) was entered into in September 2021 and includes 3,729 cases in the MDL and MCL. Other than a small number of cases still pending in the MDL, all Physiomesh matters in the United States have been resolved or are undergoing formal review for purposes of settlement. Claims have also been filed against Ethicon and the Company alleging personal injuries arising from the PROCEED Mesh and PROCEED Ventral Patch hernia mesh products. In March 2019, the New Jersey Supreme Court entered an order consolidating these cases pending in New Jersey as an MCL in Atlantic County Superior Court. Additional cases have been filed in various federal and state courts in the United States, and in jurisdictions outside the United States. Ethicon and the Company also have been subject to claims for personal injuries arising from the PROLENE Polypropylene Hernia System. In January 2020, the New Jersey Supreme Court created an MCL in Atlantic County Superior Court to handle such cases. Cases involving this product have also been filed in other federal and state courts in the United States. In October 2022, an agreement in principle, subject to various conditions, was reached to settle the majority of the pending cases involving Proceed, Proceed Ventral Patch, Prolene Hernia System and related multi-layered mesh products, as well as a number of unfiled claims. All litigation activities in the two New Jersey MCLs are stayed pending effectuation of the proposed settlement. Future cases that are filed in the New Jersey MCLs will be subject to docket control orders requiring early expert reports and discovery requirements. The Company has established accruals with respect to product liability litigation associated with Ethicon Physiomesh Flexible Composite Mesh, PROCEED Mesh and PROCEED Ventral Patch, and PROLENE Polypropylene Hernia System products. Innovative Medicine RISPERDAL Claims for personal injury have been made against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and the Company arising out of the use of RISPERDAL, and related compounds, indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia, acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder and irritability associated with autism. Lawsuits primarily have been filed in state courts in Pennsylvania, California, and Missouri. Other actions are pending in various courts in the United States and Canada. The Company continues to defend RISPERDAL product liability lawsuits, and continues to evaluate potential costs related to those claims. The Company has successfully defended a number of these cases but there have been verdicts against the Company, including a verdict in October 2019 of $8.0 billion of punitive damages related to one plaintiff, which the trial judge reduced to $6.8 million in January 2020. In September 2021, the Company entered into a settlement in principle with the counsel representing plaintiffs in this matter and in substantially all of the outstanding cases in the United States. The costs associated with this and other settlements are reflected in the Company's accruals. ELMIRON Claims for personal injury have been made against a number of Johnson & Johnson companies, including Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and the Company, arising out of the use of ELMIRON, a prescription medication indicated for the relief of bladder pain or discomfort associated with interstitial cystitis. These lawsuits, which allege that ELMIRON contributes to the development of permanent retinal injury and vision loss, have been filed in both state and federal courts across the United States. In December 2020, lawsuits filed in federal courts in the United States, including putative class action cases seeking medical monitoring, were organized as a multi-district litigation in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (MDL). In addition, cases have been filed in various state courts of New Jersey, which have been coordinated in a multi-county litigation in Bergen County, as well as the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, which have been coordinated and granted mass tort designation. In addition, three class action lawsuits have been filed in Canada. The Company continues to defend ELMIRON product liability lawsuits and continues to evaluate potential costs related to those claims. All U.S. based ELMIRON matters have been resolved or are undergoing formal review for purposes of settlement. The Company has established accruals for defense and indemnity costs associated with ELMIRON related product liability litigation. Intellectual property Certain subsidiaries of the Company are subject, from time to time, to legal proceedings and claims related to patent, trademark and other intellectual property matters arising out of their businesses. Many of these matters involve challenges to the scope and/or validity of patents that relate to various products and allegations that certain of the Company’s products infringe the intellectual property rights of third parties. Although these subsidiaries believe that they have substantial defenses to these challenges and allegations with respect to all significant patents, there can be no assurance as to the outcome of these matters. A loss in any of these cases could adversely affect the ability of these subsidiaries to sell their products, result in loss of sales due to loss of market exclusivity, require the payment of past damages and future royalties, and may result in a non-cash impairment charge for any associated intangible asset. Innovative Medicine - litigation against filers of abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) The Company’s subsidiaries have brought lawsuits against generic companies that have filed ANDAs with the U.S. FDA (or similar lawsuits outside of the United States) seeking to market generic versions of products sold by various subsidiaries of the Company prior to expiration of the applicable patents covering those products. These lawsuits typically include allegations of non-infringement and/or invalidity of patents listed in FDA’s publication “Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations” (commonly known as the Orange Book). In each of these lawsuits, the Company’s subsidiaries are seeking an order enjoining the defendant from marketing a generic version of a product before the expiration of the relevant patents (Orange Book Listed Patents). In the event the Company’s subsidiaries are not successful in an action, or any automatic statutory stay expires before the court rulings are obtained, the generic companies involved would have the ability, upon regulatory approval, to introduce generic versions of their products to the market, resulting in the potential for substantial market share and revenue losses for the applicable products, and which may result in a non-cash impairment charge in any associated intangible asset. In addition, from time to time, the Company’s subsidiaries may settle these types of actions and such settlements can involve the introduction of generic versions of the products at issue to the market prior to the expiration of the relevant patents. The Inter Partes Review (IPR) process with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), created under the 2011 America Invents Act, is also being used at times by generic companies in conjunction with ANDAs and lawsuits to challenge the applicable patents. XARELTO Beginning in March 2021, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Bayer Pharma AG; Bayer AG; and Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH filed patent infringement lawsuits in United States district courts against generic manufacturers who have filed ANDAs seeking approval to market generic versions of XARELTO before expiration of certain Orange Book Listed Patents. The following entities are named defendants: Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Inc.; Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Ltd.; Lupin Limited; Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.; Taro Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.; Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Mylan Inc.; Mankind Pharma Limited; Apotex Inc.; Apotex Corp.; Auson Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Shanghai Auson Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.; Cipla Ltd.; Cipla USA Inc.; InvaGen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Prinston Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Ascent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; and Hetero Labs Limited. In October 2024, the Company entered into a confidential settlement agreement with Auson Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Shanghai Auson Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. and the case was dismissed. In November 2024, the Company entered into confidential settlement agreements with Ascent Pharmaceuticals Inc. that resulted in dismissal of litigation against Ascent Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Hetero Labs Limited. In January 2025, the Company entered into a confidential settlement agreement with Prinston Pharmaceutical, Inc. (as to U.S. Patent No. 9,539,218). The following U.S. patents are included in one or more cases: 9,539,218 and 10,828,310. U.S. Patent No. 10,828,310 was also under consideration by the USPTO in an IPR proceeding. In July 2023, the USPTO issued a final written decision finding the claims of the patent invalid. In September 2023, Bayer Pharma AG filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. INVEGA SUSTENNA Beginning in January 2018, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. filed patent infringement lawsuits in United States district courts against generic manufacturers who have filed ANDAs seeking approval to market generic versions of INVEGA SUSTENNA before expiration of the Orange Book Listed Patent. The following entities are named defendants: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.; Mylan Laboratories Limited; Pharmascience Inc.; Mallinckrodt PLC; Specgx LLC; Tolmar, Inc.; Accord Healthcare, Inc.; Qilu Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.; and Qilu Pharma Inc. The following U.S. patent is included in one or more cases: 9,439,906. In October 2020, the district court issued a decision in the case against Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., finding that United States Patent No. 9,439,906 is not invalid. Teva previously stipulated to infringement. Teva appealed the decision, and, in April 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated and remanded the case to the district court for further proceedings. In November 2024, the district court issued its decision on remand, finding that United States Patent No. 9,439,906 is not invalid. Teva appealed to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and oral argument is scheduled for April 2025. In February 2024, the district court issued a decision in the case against Tolmar Inc. finding that United States Patent No. 9,439,906 is not invalid. Tolmar previously stipulated to infringement. Tolmar has appealed the decision. Beginning in February 2018, Janssen Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV initiated a Statement of Claim under Section 6 of the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations against generic manufacturers who have filed ANDSs seeking approval to market generic versions of INVEGA SUSTENNA before expiration of the listed patent. The following entities are named defendants: Pharmascience Inc. and Apotex Inc. The following Canadian patent is included in one or more cases: 2,655,335. In June 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed the Apotex case. In September 2024, the Supreme Court granted Pharmascience's motion to appeal the Federal Court's decision that the 2,655,335 Patent is not invalid. INVEGA TRINZA Beginning in September 2020, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, and Janssen Research & Development, LLC filed patent infringement lawsuits in United States district courts against generic manufacturers who have filed ANDAs seeking approval to market generic versions of INVEGA TRINZA before expiration of the Orange Book Listed Patent. The following entities are named defendants: Mylan Laboratories Limited; Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.; and Mylan Institutional LLC. The following U.S. patent is included in one or more cases: 10,143,693. In May 2023, the District Court issued a decision finding that Mylan’s proposed generic product infringes the asserted patent and that the patent is not invalid. Mylan has appealed the decision. Oral argument before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit was held in February 2025. SYMTUZA Beginning in November 2021, Janssen Products, L.P., Janssen Sciences Ireland Unlimited Company, Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Gilead Sciences Ireland UC filed patent infringement lawsuits in United States district courts against generic manufacturers who have filed ANDAs seeking approval to market generic versions of SYMTUZA before expiration of certain Orange Book Listed Patents. The following entities are named defendants: Lupin Limited; Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; MSN Laboratories Private Ltd.; MSN Life Sciences Private Ltd.; MSN Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Apotex Inc.; and Apotex Corp. The following U.S. patents are included in one or more cases: 10,039,718 and 10,786,518. A trial is scheduled to begin in February 2025. ERLEADA Beginning in May 2022, Aragon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Janssen Biotech, Inc. (collectively, Janssen), Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research (SKI) and The Regents of the University of California filed patent infringement lawsuits in United States district courts against generic manufacturers who have filed ANDAs seeking approval to market generic versions of ERLEADA before expiration of certain Orange Book Listed Patents. The following entities are named defendants: Zydus Worldwide DMCC; Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc.; Zydus Lifesciences Limited; Hetero Labs Limited Unit V; and Hetero USA, Inc. The following U.S. patents are included in one or more cases: 9,481,663; 9,884,054; 10,052,314 (which reissued as RE49,353); 10,702,508; 10,849,888; 8,445,507; 8,802,689; 9,388,159; 9,987,261; RE49,353; and 11,963,952. In October 2024, Janssen, The Regents of the University of California, SKI, Hetero Labs Limited Unit V, and Hetero USA, Inc. entered into a confidential settlement, and the case was dismissed. In November 2024, Janssen, The Regents of the University of California, Zydus Worldwide DMCC, Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc., and Zydus Lifesciences Limited entered into confidential settlements, and the cases were dismissed. SPRAVATO Beginning in May 2023, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV filed patent infringement lawsuits in United States district courts against generic manufacturers who have filed ANDAs seeking approval to market generic versions of SPRAVATO before expiration of certain Orange Book Listed Patents. The following entities are named defendants: Sandoz Inc.; Hikma Pharmaceuticals Inc. USA; Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC; and Alkem Laboratories Ltd. The following U.S. patents are included in one or more cases: 10,869,844; 11,173,134; 11,311,500; and 11,446,260. INVOKANA Beginning in January 2024, Janssen Inc. and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation initiated Statements of Claim under Section 6 of the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations against generic manufacturers who filed ANDSs seeking approval to market generic versions of INVOKANA before expiration of the listed patents. The following entities are named defendants: Jamp Pharma Corporation and Apotex Inc. The following Canadian patents are included in one or more cases: 2,534,024 and 2,671,357. Trial in the Jamp action is scheduled for September 2025, and trial in the Apotex action is scheduled for December 2025. MedTech In March 2016, Abiomed, Inc. (Abiomed) filed a declaratory judgment action against Maquet Cardiovascular LLC (Maquet) in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking a declaration that the Impella does not infringe certain Maquet patents, currently U.S. Patent Nos. 7,022,100 (’100); 8,888,728; 9,327,068; 9,545,468; 9,561,314; and 9,597,437. Maquet counterclaimed for infringement of each of those patents. After claim construction, Maquet alleged infringement of only the ’100 patent. In September 2021, the court granted Abiomed’s motion for summary judgment of non-infringement of the ’100 patent, and in September 2023, the district court entered final judgment in favor of Abiomed on all patents-in-suit. Maquet appealed. Government proceedings Like other companies in the pharmaceutical and medical technologies industries, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries are subject to extensive regulation by national, state and local government agencies in the United States and other countries in which they operate. Such regulation has been the basis of government investigations and litigations. The most significant litigation brought by, and investigations conducted by, government agencies are listed below. It is possible that criminal charges and substantial fines and/or civil penalties or damages could result from government investigations or litigation. MedTech In July 2018, the Public Prosecution Service in Rio de Janeiro and representatives from the Brazilian antitrust authority CADE inspected the offices of more than 30 companies including Johnson & Johnson do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Produtos para Saúde Ltda. The authorities appear to be investigating allegations of possible anti-competitive behavior and possible improper payments in the medical device industry. The Company continues to respond to inquiries regarding the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company has been informed DOJ has closed its investigation. In July 2023, the DOJ issued Civil Investigative Demands to the Company, Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc., and Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. (collectively, J&J Vision) in connection with a civil investigation under the False Claims Act relating to free or discounted intraocular lenses and equipment used in eye surgery, such as phacoemulsification and laser systems. J&J Vision has begun producing documents and information responsive to the Civil Investigative Demands. J&J Vision is in ongoing discussions with the DOJ regarding its inquiry. Innovative Medicine In July 2016, the Company and Janssen Products, LP were served with a qui tam complaint pursuant to the False Claims Act filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey alleging the off-label promotion of two HIV products, PREZISTA and INTELENCE, and anti-kickback violations in connection with the promotion of these products. The complaint was filed under seal in December 2012. The federal and state governments have declined to intervene, and the lawsuit is being prosecuted by the relators. The Court denied summary judgment on all claims in December 2021. Daubert motions were granted in part and denied in part in January 2022, and trial commenced in May 2024. On June 13, 2024, a jury found no liability regarding the anti-kickback violations but found liability for a portion of the off-label promotion claims. The Company is pursuing post-trial briefing challenging the verdict on the off-label claims. In March 2017, Janssen Biotech, Inc. (JBI) received a Civil Investigative Demand from the United States Department of Justice regarding a False Claims Act investigation concerning management and advisory services provided to rheumatology and gastroenterology practices that purchased REMICADE or SIMPONI ARIA. In August 2019, the United States Department of Justice notified JBI that it was closing the investigation. Subsequently, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts unsealed a qui tam False Claims Act complaint, which was served on the Company. The Department of Justice had declined to intervene in the qui tam lawsuit in August 2019. The Company filed a motion to dismiss, which was granted in part and denied in part. Discovery is underway. General litigation The Company or its subsidiaries are also parties to various proceedings brought under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as Superfund, and comparable state, local or foreign laws in which the primary relief sought is the Company’s agreement to implement remediation activities at designated hazardous waste sites or to reimburse the government or third parties for the costs they have incurred in performing remediation as such sites. In October 2017, certain United States service members and their families brought a complaint against a number of pharmaceutical and medical devices companies, including Johnson & Johnson and certain of its subsidiaries in United States District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging that the defendants violated the United States Anti-Terrorism Act. The complaint alleges that the defendants provided funding for terrorist organizations through their sales practices pursuant to pharmaceutical and medical device contracts with the Iraqi Ministry of Health. In July 2020, the District Court dismissed the complaint. In January 2022, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed the District Court’s decision. In June 2023, defendants filed a petition for a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court. In June 2024, the Supreme Court vacated the D.C. Circuit's decision and remanded the case to the D.C. Circuit. Oral argument was held in November 2024. In February 2024, a putative class action was filed against the Company, the Pension & Benefits Committee of Johnson & Johnson (Committee), and certain named officers and employees, in United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. In May 2024, the plaintiff filed an amended complaint against the Company and the Committee. The complaint alleges that defendants breached fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) by allegedly mismanaging the Company’s prescription-drug benefits program. The complaint seeks damages and other relief. In January 2025, the Court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motion to dismiss. MedTech In October 2020, Fortis Advisors LLC (Fortis), in its capacity as representative of the former stockholders of Auris Health Inc. (Auris), filed a complaint against the Company, Ethicon Inc., and certain named officers and employees (collectively, Ethicon) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware. The complaint alleges breach of contract, fraud, and other causes of action against Ethicon in connection with Ethicon’s acquisition of Auris in 2019. The complaint seeks damages and other relief. In December 2021, the Court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motion to dismiss certain causes of action. All claims against the individual defendants were dismissed. The trial occurred in January 2024. In September 2024, the court found liability with respect to certain claims and no liability with respect to other claims. The Company has appealed the decision. In October 2019, Innovative Health, LLC filed a complaint against Biosense Webster, Inc (BWI) in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The complaint alleges that certain of BWI's business practices and contractual terms violate the antitrust laws of the United States and the State of California by restricting competition in the sale of High Density Mapping Catheters and Ultrasound Catheters. Trial is scheduled for April 2025. Innovative Medicine In June 2019, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a Civil Investigative Demand to the Company and Janssen Biotech, Inc. (collectively, Janssen) in connection with its investigation of whether Janssen’s REMICADE contracting practices violate federal antitrust laws. The Company has produced documents and information responsive to the Civil Investigative Demand. Janssen is in ongoing discussions with the FTC staff regarding its inquiry. In February 2022, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued Civil Investigative Demands to Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Biotech, Inc. (collectively, Janssen) in connection with its investigation of whether advertising practices for REMICADE violate federal law. Janssen has produced documents and information responsive to the Civil Investigative Demands. In January 2025, the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection informed Janssen that it was closing its investigation. In October 2018, two separate putative class actions were filed against Actelion Pharmaceutical Ltd., Actelion Pharmaceuticals U.S., Inc., and Actelion Clinical Research, Inc. (collectively Actelion) in United States District Court for the District of Maryland and United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The complaints allege that Actelion violated state and federal antitrust and unfair competition laws by allegedly refusing to supply generic pharmaceutical manufacturers with samples of TRACLEER. TRACLEER is subject to a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which imposes restrictions on distribution of the product. In January 2019, the plaintiffs dismissed the District of Columbia case and filed a consolidated complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. In September 2024, the district court granted plaintiff's motion for class certification. Trial is scheduled for March 2026. In December 2023, a putative class action lawsuit was filed against the Company and Janssen Biotech Inc. (collectively Janssen) in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The complaint alleges that Janssen violated federal and state antitrust laws and other state laws by delaying biosimilar competition with STELARA through Janssen's enforcement of patent rights covering STELARA. The complaint seeks damages and other relief. In February 2024, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, which Janssen moved to dismiss in March 2024. In August 2024, the court granted in part and denied in part Janssen's motion to dismiss. In December 2018, Janssen Biotech, Inc., Janssen Oncology, Inc., Janssen Research & Development, LLC, and Johnson & Johnson (collectively, Janssen) were served with a qui tam complaint on behalf of the United States, certain states, and the District of Columbia. The complaint alleges that Janssen violated the federal False Claims Act and state law when providing pricing information for ZYTIGA to the government in connection with direct sales and reimbursement programs. At this time, the federal and state governments have declined to intervene. In December 2021, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey denied Janssen's motion to dismiss.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for legal proceedings, legal contingencies, litigation, regulatory and environmental matters and other contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 450 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/450/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LegalMattersAndContingenciesTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration