New class-action lawsuit lawyers have compelled Johnson & Johnson to turn over internal memos and reports after they made claims about J&J’s baby powder’s talc causing the plaintiffs’ cancer.

11,700 plaintiffs joined the lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. While reports of poisonous talc in the company’s baby powder has stretched back to the 1990’s, J&J have managed to conceal internal reports from lawyers until now.

Reuters conducted an examination of the Johnson & Johnson documents and found that from 1970 to the 2000’s reports revealed that the company’s raw talc and finished powder would sometimes test positive for small traces of asbestos. The company also failed to disclose these reports to regulators.

The documents also allegedly show the company’s efforts to influence regulator’s plans to limit asbestos in the use of cosmetic talc items were successful. Additionally, they also succeeded in limiting scientific studies into the health effects of talc. Furthermore, the documents showed that only a tiny fraction of the amount of talc at Johnson & Johnson had been tested over the years.

The World Health Organization has stated that any amount of asbestos is unsafe for the public. It’s unclear what the smallest amount of asbestos can be cancer-causing, but asbestos is linked to mesothelioma and other diseases.

The lawsuit alleges that the talc in Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder was tainted with asbestos and had therefore caused the plaintiffs to develop cancer. Johnson & Johnson has claimed that it will appeal the recent verdicts against them and that their products do not contain asbestos.

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