Around 3,000 people are behind the lawsuit. It is claimed that the company was already aware in the 1960s that their mineral-based talcum powder contained minerals classified as asbestos, and are linked to potentially fatal forms of cancer.
The lawsuit is based on internal memos and scientific reports that BBC has taken part of.
Johnson & Johnson denies the allegations that the company knowingly sold powder with asbestos. In a statement, the company writes that their baby powder "met all necessary regulatory standards, did not contain asbestos and did not cause cancer).
Similar lawsuits have already been settled in the USA, where several plaintiffs have been awarded damages in the billions of kronor.
