Supreme Court rejects Johnson & Johnson request to halt talcum powder suit

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request by Johnson & Johnson to halt a Mississippi lawsuit over its talcum powder products.

As is typical, justices did not explain why they are not taking up the issue, which was included in a long list of cases the court said it would not hear. The case dates from 2014, when Mississippi officials sued Johnson & Johnson for allegedly violating state law by failing to warn users of "potentially lethal" health risks of using its products, including ovarian cancer.

Johnson & Johnson says the Food and Drug Administration had considered requiring a warning on talcum powder products and concluded that the evidence did not justify requiring one. It has argued that Mississippi is barred from suing, but courts in the state allowed the case to proceed.