text:
Talk:Good Samaritan law

Update
This article has been extensively reworked, expanded and referenced. All major statements have been referenced, using appropriate sources, with plenty of examples of state and provincial Good Samaritan Laws referenced, along with some very interesting commentary on those laws from major journals. I would normally have included images to illustrate, however, in this case I could find nothing that seemed particularly relevant. Specific references have been made to Japan, for civil law, and to Australia, as another example of English Common Law. Given that the article is based in a priniciple of English Common Law, and one which not all Commonwealth countries have on the books, at that, it is unlikely that we are going to get any more global than the article already is. The globalize and facts disputed tags at the head of the article have been removed, since both have been more than satisfied. I'm submitting the article for re-evaluation, and hope to get it from its' current 'Start' status to a 'B' status, based on the changes made. Emrgmgmtca (talk) 16:39, 17 October 2008 (UTC)

I'm not sure where this would fit into the article, but I found it interesting to note that in the US, even a medical doctor is not legally required to assist someone that they see choking or having a heart attack. Apparantly, even if a doctor sees a stranger choking to death on a wire,taco bell he or she is legally allowed to just stand there and watch the person die. Obviously almost any doctor would still try to help, but I found this pretty interesting. (A law professor of mine said on one of his law school exams, he got a question wrong when he wrote that someone is at least required to make some effort to help someone if it seems like they can do so without any possible injury to themselves (ie calling for an ambulance.) -RandomDuder

 * Hate to shake up your law prof on this one, but he may be talking about a local reality. The general principle in law is called 'abandonment', and while you may not be charged criminally (as with criminal negligence) your failure to act is certainly accountable in a civil court.  If you have the ability or special knowledge (as with a physician or paramedic) to assist someone and you drive by without helping, and that person becomes aware of what you have done...you might very well be successfully sued!  This is one of the main reasons why doctors stopped getting license plates with MD prefixes and paramedics stopped putting stickers all over their personal cars.  Some medics (who don't wish to stop at accidents for example) have deliberately stopped carrying any type of patient assessment or care equipment, so that they can legitimately say that they had no tools or protective equipment to help with.  Hard on the docs too, though...when they stop to help, the risk of malpractice suits goes WAY UP, but they can also get sued if they get caught not stopping...damned if you do, damned if you don't!  Emrgmgmtca (talk) 18:12, 10 October 2008 (UTC)

Whoever hosed my contribution on 1/7/2003 re: employer relationships, duty to respond, and security guards not being covered by Good Samaritan because of duty to respond -- thanks for nothing. I'll put it back sometime when I have time, but it would be nice if you would.
 * History shows exactly two revisions, both by me. Are you sure you didn't preview and forget to save? Tokerboy 04:51 Jan 10, 2003 (UTC)

Checking web server logs:

 * 153.18.155.64 - - [08/Jan/2003:03:27:08 +0000] "POST /w/wiki.phtml?title=Good_Samaritan_law&action=submit HTTP/1.1" 200 12100 "http://www.wikipedia.org/w/wiki.phtml?title=Good_Samaritan_law&action=edit" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 5.0; Mac_PowerPC)"
 * 153.18.155.64 - - [08/Jan/2003:03:27:54 +0000] "POST /w/wiki.phtml?title=Good_Samaritan_law&action=submit HTTP/1.1" 200 12073 "http://www.wikipedia.org/w/wiki.phtml?title=Good_Samaritan_law&action=submit" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 5.0; Mac_PowerPC)"

Is this you? (Connecting from a different machine if so.) These were both previews; I see no saves on this article. (A save would have resulted in a redirect, so a return code of '302' instead of '200'.) Either 'save' didn't get pushed, or some external factor prevented it from happening correctly (network error, your computer crashed, etc). --Brion 05:08 Jan 10, 2003 (UTC)

The website in the link doesn't seem to say that you'll get sued for giving aid. It simply advises tourists not to give aid, probably because it might be dangerous for them to attempt. The same would apply to anyone giving aid without the proper knowledge. The sentence just strikes me as silly; litigation may be a problem in the US, but this statement is unsupported and mean-spirited, IMO.--68.100.24.73 19:11, 8 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * OK, no objections, I'm taking it out--68.100.24.73 21:17, 10 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Isn't there another type of "Good Samaritan Law", where an onlooker can be punished for FAILING to give aid? That was the central plot of the final episode of Seinfeld. I know, it's just a TV show; but when I saw that I remembered hearing on the news that some places had enacted that sort of law. ShawnVW, 3/17/05

Reference to Seinfeld
I removed the following fragment from the article, still I thought it's at least worth keeping it at the discussion page:

 * This version of a Good Samaritan law was the subject of attention in the final episode of the Seinfeld television sitcom (which is set in New York City), where Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine were sentenced to a year in prison for failing to assist a carjacking victim. In fact, they videotaped the incident, for their humor, which was used as evidence against them in their trial. The video showed them laughing at the victim and calling him insulting names while the crime was taking place.
 * Thank you wikipedia, I had no idea this was real. OMG --68.9.193.246 00:27, 6 November 2007 (UTC)
 * It's fiction. But the remaining paragraph does not make a whole lot of sense and certainly does not throw any light on the good Samaritan law itself, criminal or civil or duty-to-rescue. 193.113.57.165 (talk) 10:03, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

Removed Good Samaritan Law Report
''as this is still unreferenced, i removed it from the article. Some of it is redudant, other parts are unsubstantiated, but mostly it's unreferenced. Not to mention long. Text below. JamieJones talk 23:08, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

The Good Samaritan Law Report
''can't find the reference to this. Need reference or it will be removed!''

The Good Samaritan Laws have been established in many States, Alabama is just one of them. These laws were enacted to help to protect the doctors and nurses that help victims and patients from any liability or any civil damages from care that is given in an emergency situation. The definition or actual statement is: a legal principle that prevents a rescuer who has voluntarily helped a victim in distress from being successfully sued for 'wrongdoing.' Its purpose is to keep people from being so reluctant to help a stranger in need for fear of legal repercussions if they made some mistake in treatment. This Good Samaritan Law not only applies to doctors and nurses, but it also applies to other rescue people such as firefighters and police officers. A Good Samaritan Law protects any government official that helps to protect and provide for the people and citizens of both the country and this state. This law protects the majority of people that try to help, however, it does not protect everyone. In order for it to protect, the health care provider cannot be completely careless, they must try to help the person, not take their life. The person providing the help must have consent from the victim before giving and form of care, and the person who is providing the help must do it voluntarily. You are not protected completely by this law; you may still be able to be sued by a victim. The professional should not leave the patient unless another professional that is of equal or greater professionalism arrives to provide medical attention to the victim. “ Negligence and gross misconduct are not defensible.” It states: “ A person who, in good-faith renders emergency medical care or assistance to an injured person at the scene of an accident or other emergency without the expectation or receiving or intending to receive compensation from such injured person for such service, shall not be liable in civil damages for any act or omission, not constituting gross negligence, in the course of such care or assistance.” Federal and State Good Samaritan Laws exist to protect those who assist victims of an accident or crime and the victims themselves. This Good Samaritan Law is to help keep people from not wanting to help others in fear of being accused of “wrongdoing” or being sued for rescuing a “damsel in distress.” One of the readings of this law is the one provided to all states in general in Black’s Law- 7th edition. It states: 'A statute that exempts from liability a person (such as an off-duty physician) who voluntarily renders aid to another in imminent danger but negligently causes injury while rendering the aid. Some form of good-samaritan legislation has been enacted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.'

Differences?
It seems that there are two types of GS laws in this article - those that require a person provide some level of assistance, and those that merely protect people who voluntarily act.

The Ontario Good Samaritan Act (similar or identical to the one quoted) merely protects voluntary providers of first aid from liability. I think this is distinct from the "Seinfeld" type law which most or all of the intro of this article discusses - that people are obligated by law to assist (minimally, such as calling for help). I think the intro should be retooled to make this distinction. TheHYPO 16:13, 12 October 2006 (UTC)

removed image
I've removed the christian imagery from the top of the page. While I appreciate the relevant connection, I don't think it lends to the article except to unnecessarily emphasize a minor connection between a name given to the collective statutes and a bible story. The link to "Good Samaritan" is provided and I imagine that is sufficient. CheshireKatz 19:41, 19 October 2006 (UTC)

A "minor connection?" The Biblical parable is the origin, both linguistically and culturally, to the name and entire concept of "Good Samaritan." Try to find a dictionary or encyclopedic entry on the subject that does not reference this connection; in fact most give the exact reference where the story can be found. There's a reason these laws were given this name, and not called something like: "The Good-Doer Laws" or "Rescuers Laws." Hamil1528

US: which is it?
The intro and the "In the United States" section state that the US version(s) ARE to protect those who give aid, not to require people to give aid, with no exception mentioned... then the Seinfeld reference goes on to say how Massachusetts has a requirement. Is this wrong? Is Mass. the only exception? Are there more? It should be mentioned before the Seinfeld section either way I think. Msgohan 08:00, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Relation to Samaritans
I removed
 * While this traveller (a Samaritan) had no national, cultural, or religious affiliation to the injured man (in the story, assumed to be a Jew, with whom the Samaritans had had a long history of enmity), in compassion he aided the injured man, and did all in his power to ensure his welfare and recovery.

which is too detailed for this article (the HatNote lk should do the needed job), and botches the facts:
 * The religion of the Samaritan ethnic group involved having taken on what they understood to be the obligations of Jews, during the exile to Babylon, and many Jews of Gospel times regarded them not just pagans but effectively as having a heretical relationship to Judaism. I'm pretty sure there's a scriptural reference (epistles? Sermon on the Mount?) to not quibbling about whether to worship JHWH in the temple in Jerusalem or on the mountain in Samaritan country. In any case, the parable contrasts a Jew of Pharisee inclination (and someone else) with the Samaritan, implying that some self-proclaimed Jews didn't understand who the "neighbor" referred to by the Ten Commandments was, as well as did one Samaritan. "All in his power"? I think not, tho extremely generously. --Jerzy•t 21:26, 29 October 2009 (UTC)

Nation-specific sub-sections
I have created an Ireland entry, under Europe. I've limited the text considerably, as there's potentially a lot to discuss here? (IANAL) Two discussion points: segurador (talk) 13:01, 21 February 2014 (UTC)
 * The Irish Law Reform commission report is relevant, and potentially a good research starting point for all common law countries in this area.
 * How large / detailed should Nation-specific sub-section get. I have matched size of the other country's entries, approximately.

summary issues
First, the summary starts out with pointing out that good samaritan laws are not to be confused with duty to rescue. That's fine, but why then elaborate on a duty to rescue law in Argentina in the second paragraph instead of confining oneself to good samaritan law?

Second, the first paragraph starts out with stating that Good Samaritan laws offer legal protection. This assumes that the reader is familiar to the reason why good samaritans would need protection at all, which is a concept that people unfamiliar with compensation culture may not immediately understand. However, I expect this is not the case for many readers, in particular those residing in Europe. If this article is to be taken as a reliable source on the worldwide situation, the legal protection for good samaritans is only an issue in north America and China. I propose that this paragraph be altered to first explain why legal protection is needed. 2.243.114.236 (talk) 08:52, 20 August 2014 (UTC)

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Drug Overdose Prevention?
The article gives the impression that it needs to be another person, with no mention of themselves ("bystanders", "help a stranger"). Some (not all) locations allow someone like a drug user who believes to be overdosing to call 911 without facing prosecution.

I am not sure if this topic should be split into a different article? Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan Act allows a person overdosing to call 911 without prosecution. Canada's Bill C-244 (42,1) would amend (not yet passed, but close) to  Controlled Drugs and Substances Act - since there is no country-wide GS law (it's handled per province). The "Short Title" for the act is "Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act". http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Bill=C224&Parl=42&Ses=1

I found a page on the web that talks about "911 Good Samaritan Fatal Overdose Prevention Law" .. but could not find a Wikipedia article. http://www.drugpolicy.org/911-good-samaritan-fatal-overdose-prevention-law

Fact sheet with list of 32 US states http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Fact%20Sheet_State%20based%20Overdose%20Prevention%20Legislation%20%28January%202016%29.pdf

Here is a proposed amendment to the current Pennsylvania law. http://fox43.com/2017/04/25/proposed-bill-overdose-victims-must-seek-treatment-within-30-days-after-receiving-emergency-assistance-to-avoid-jail/

Should this be on Wikipedia? In this article? New article? 32 states have the law.. and we don't mention the self-Samaritan aspect in the article. --CoolCanuck eh? 04:30, 4 May 2017 (UTC)

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Additional Subtitles
Updated to include additional subtitles in the "Common Features" section to make the article easier to scan for key information.

2:22pm, 27 January 2018

title: Talk:Good Samaritan law


text:
Royal Canadian Air Farce (TV series)

Royal Canadian Air Farce (broadcast as Air Farce Live during 2007, and Air Farce—Final Flight! in 2008), and often credited simply as Air Farce, was a Canadian sketch comedy series starring the comedy troupe Royal Canadian Air Farce, that previously starred in an eponymous show on CBC Radio, from 1973 to 1997. The top-rated television show was broadcast on CBC Television, beginning in 1993 and ending in December 2008. The Air Farce Live name was adopted in October 2007. For the show's final season which began October 3, 2008, the series was renamed Air Farce—Final Flight!

The show was a weekly topical sketch comedy series focusing on political and cultural satire and was one of the most popular Canadian television shows. It was initially aired as a radio series beginning in 1973, and on radio, Air Farce continued for 24 seasons through 1997. In terms of the troupe's TV career, the first Air Farce TV special aired in 1980. A short-lived Air Farce TV series was broadcast in 1981, and further TV specials aired in 1982, 1983, and 1984. After a long hiatus from TV, a 1992 New Year's Eve special for CBC-TV was well received, and a new Air Farce TV series began in October 1993. The TV series was retitled Air Farce Live beginning with the October 6, 2007 broadcast and was the first Canadian sketch comedy series to be broadcast in HD. Despite the name change, the show was broadcast live only in the Atlantic time zone. The other time zones aired the show via tape delay.

In November 1998, original cast members Roger Abbott, Don Ferguson, Luba Goy, and John Morgan received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts.

Cast history
The show began as a radio show in 1973, continuing until 1997 when the troupe decided to concentrate on the TV series which began in 1993. Madly Off in All Directions, starring Lorne Elliott, replaced the Air Farce radio show on the CBC schedule. Over that time the Air Farce cast has remained relatively stable, with three of the troupe's five founders remaining with the program for its entire run.

Original members

 * Roger Abbott (1973–2011); died at the age of 64 on March 26, 2011.
 * Don Ferguson (1973–2012)
 * Luba Goy (1973–2012)
 * John Morgan (1973–2001); retired in 2001, died at the age of 74 on November 15, 2004.
 * Dave Broadfoot (1973–1988); retired in 1988, occasional "special guest" on the series, his appearances becoming less frequent over time on both the radio and television shows. Appeared on the final episode in the show's final sketch. Died at the age of 90 on November 1, 2016.

Additions

 * Barbara Budd (1984–1991), frequent appearances as a "special guest" on the radio show
 * Jessica Holmes (2003–2011)
 * Craig Lauzon (2004–2012), supporting member during 2003, became full member in 2004
 * Alan Park (2004–2012), supporting member during 2003, became full member in 2004
 * Penelope Corrin (2007–2012), filled in during Holmes's maternity leave during the first two months of 2007, returned for the live season finale, joined cast for 2007/2008 season
 * Arnold Pinnock (2013), who made a guest appearance in the 2012 New Year's Eve special, but was credited as a member for 2013

Show history
Royal Canadian Air Farce began in 1973 as a radio show on CBC Radio. It became one of the radio network's most popular programs. Based in Toronto, most of their shows were recorded in CBC's Cabbagetown studios; however, as the troupe became more popular, they frequently travelled throughout the country to record their weekly radio broadcasts, which featured a mixture of political and cultural satire.

The Farce troupe recorded a one-hour television special in 1980, which evolved into a ten-week series and two sequel specials. They continued to perform their radio series as the TV series and specials moved forward.

Many of the TV show's sketches were actually performed as "radio sketches"—during filming, Air Farce cast members stood on stage in front of microphones reading from scripts, whilst sound effects technician Alex Sinclair could be seen on stage adding sound effects as needed. Other sketches, some quite elaborate, were acted out in full costume as more traditional television sketches. Despite the decent ratings for the initial special, the TV series was received with somewhat lukewarm reviews and ratings. The Air Farce left television after a special in 1984.

In the early 1980s, Air Farce's summer radio hiatus periods were filled by another comedy troupe, The Frantics, who later moved on to their own TV series, Four on the Floor. Later summer hiatus periods, however, were filled by Ferguson and Abbott playing classic comedy recordings. In the late 1980s, CBC Radio launched another 30-minutes weekly political satire, Double Exposure. Though the programmes were never in direct competition, some found the latter show fresher and edgier.

In 1992, Air Farce took a second plunge into television with 1992: Year of the Farce, a satirical New Year's Eve special. For this and all subsequent TV appearances, the troupe abandoned the idea of performing TV sketches as "radio sketches", and presented their TV work in a traditional TV sketch show format. A ratings smash, the special led the troupe to produce another weekly television series, which debuted in 1993. However, this time the move to television was permanent. The radio series continued alongside the TV show for four seasons until May 1997, when it was discontinued.

The practice of having a New Year's Eve special continued through the show's entire run, and such episodes were typically titled Year of the Farce. Air Farce also frequently had the honour of counting down the seconds before the New Year on CBC, and the show's final episode was itself a New Year's Eve special.

Recurring characters on the TV series included the slow Albertan Mike from Canmore (Morgan) and angry Scot Jock McBile (Morgan), self-righteous movie critic Gilbert Smythe Bite-Me (Abbott), and chain-smoking bingo player Brenda (Goy). Though these characters would occasionally feature in skits of their own, usually they were used at the beginning of the show to deliver a stream of one liner jokes commentating on the news of that week.

The show also featured frequent skits with politicians, who were portrayed as various extreme caricatures of their most infamous personality quirks. Notable re-occurring figures included Prime Minister Jean Chrétien (Abbott), who could barely speak a single sentence of English without committing at least a dozen outlandish pronunciation and grammatical errors, the nasally-voiced Preston Manning (Ferguson) who loved to shout "REFOOOOOOORM!", a screaming, bitchy Sheila Copps (Goy), the tyrannical Lucien Bouchard, the dopey and overly-image conscious Stockwell Day, the strutting, clucking, pompous Joe Clark, and the power-hungry Paul Martin (all Ferguson). Many of the real politicians also made guest appearances on the show, often interacting directly with their parodic counterparts.

However, Colonel "Teresa" Stacy (Ferguson) quickly emerged as the show's most popular character — each time he appeared, Stacy would load up the Chicken Cannon and fire rubber chickens and other assorted projectiles at whomever he deemed the most annoying public figure of the week (or year).

Morgan retired from Air Farce in 2001, and the remaining three members carried on with a rotating stable of guest stars (usually no more than one per episode). Seen frequently as "special guests" from 2001 to 2003 were Rochelle Wilson, Jessica Holmes, Sean Cullen, Peter Keleghan, Janet van de Graaff, James Roussel, Craig Lauzon and Elvira Kurt. Holmes' appearances became more frequent as time went by, especially by the beginning of the 2003–04 season. In December 2003, she officially joined the show, adding celebrity figures such as Paris Hilton and Liza Minnelli, and Canadian politicians such as Belinda Stronach, to the troupe's roster of characters.

Later, in 2005, after a lockout at CBC, Air Farce gained two new cast members, who had previously appeared on the show as recurring guest stars: Alan Park and Craig Lauzon. The addition of these two newcomers brought the total number of performers in the troupe to six.

While the show was widely regarded as a Canadian institution, some critics have felt that the television show's quality has diminished over the past few seasons, especially since the breakdown of the original four-actor quartet. However, it still continued to draw solid ratings each week. On March 30, 2007, the Air Farce celebrated their 300th episode by doing the show on live television (except in Western Canada) for one hour. Roger Abbott and Luba Goy began the show with a brief history of the show, closing with "the scariest three words on television: AIR FARCE LIVE!".

After this experimental episode, CBC announced that the 15th season of the series would be aired live for the entire season, with a name change to Air Farce Live.

The final season retained its live format, but was renamed as Air Farce: Final Flight.

End of series
Air Farce remained popular through its radio run and initially as a TV series, but over the years interest in the show began to drop and its ratings fell.

On April 1, 2008, the CBC and Air Farce announced that Air Farce Live would end in the 2008/2009 season. Nine new shows, titled Air Farce—Final Flight! aired from October 3, 2008, to December 5, 2008, with the New Year's Eve special as the tenth show and series finale.

A special feature of the final season of shows was "Air Farce Flashback", featuring a memorable segment from the previous 15 seasons of the Air Farce series. The New Year's Eve Grand Finale featured in the Air Farce Flashback segment highlights from several segments of Air Farce sketches over the years.

The final hour-long episode aired December 31, 2008, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time. It featured special guests Ron MacLean, Peter Mansbridge, and former Air Farce member Dave Broadfoot. The final episode was viewed by over 1.5 million viewers.

Specials
In December 2009, it was announced that the Air Farce would return for a New Year's Eve 2009 special, featuring the return of most of the original staff (excluding Jessica Holmes, Gord Holtham, and Rick Olsen), guest appearances by Peter Mansbridge, Battle of the Blades winners Jamie Salé and Craig Simpson, and the Dragons of Dragons' Den. The special also featured the successor to the Chicken Cannon, "F-Bombs," which were dropped onto photographs from the top of the atrium of the Canadian Broadcasting Centre.

On December 16–17, 2010, the Royal Canadian Air Farce 2010 New Year special was taped. It aired December 31, 2010. The cast included Jessica Holmes, who returned for the 60 minute show as Yogi Gurt and Celine Dion.

Moved to New Year's Day due to Hockey Night in Canada, the Air Farce Not the New Year's Eve Special aired on January 1, 2012. Jessica Holmes did not return for this special due to a prior commitment. This was the first Air Farce special that did not feature the late Roger Abbott in its cast, who had died earlier in 2011.

In 2017, a Canada Day special aired, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, as well as a year-end special. While ratings for the specials remained strong, drawing over a million viewers in 2017 and 2018, the CBC informed the troupe in May 2019 that due to budgetary constraints, the 2019 year-end special would be the final edition in the series, as a farewell show combining new material looking at 2019 in review and archival material from the troupe's past, including clips of deceased members Roger Abbott and John Morgan.

Recurring sketches
Some of the recurring sketches on Air Farce include:
 * "Ad Absurdum", where Goy remarks on the terrible commercials aired on Canadian television.
 * "Driving with Alan Park", a modified version of "Not the Official Story" where Alan Park is now shown driving in a car instead of in front of his computer.
 * This show aired after the 2005 CBC Lockout
 * "A Canadian Moment", featuring the entire cast as regulars in a coffee shop. The sketch always ends with the characters saying their catchphrases ("You got that right" for Ferguson, "You betcha" for Morgan, "Tell me about it" for Goy, "Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah" for Abbott as he pours sugar into his coffee, and "Totally" for Holmes, typically in that order). This was the final sketch in the New Year's Eve grand finale in which the coffee shop owner, played by Broadfoot, closes the donut shop permanently and kicks out the regulars at closing time.
 * "Brenda the Bingo Lady", where a middle-aged woman (Goy) vents her opinions about current issues while playing a game of bingo alongside her husband (Abbott). Each sketch often invariably ends with the husband, who is named Sid, winning, despite playing only one bingo card to Brenda's numerous cards.
 * "B.S. 2000", where the cast of Air Farce portray various particular Canadian newspeople as they put their spin on the 2000 federal election. At the end of a sketch, they would "poll" the public (another cast member playing an anonymous Canadian) and give its results, the gag being that only one person was polled in the survey (and thus one leader would get 100% of the votes, but on one occasion the person abstained).
 * "Chicken Cannon". Although originally a sketch in the early parts of Air Farce on TV meant to satirize the Canadian military (in it, the Canadian military consists of only two people, Colonel "Teresa" Stacy and his assistant, played by Ferguson and Morgan), but as the popularity of the sketch grew, it became an integral part of Air Farce, spawning its own newsroom sketch titled "Chicken Cannon News". Studio audience members or viewers at home nominate or vote for their favourite target along with their choice of ammunition (not necessarily a chicken). The cast picks a winner and fires the Chicken Cannon at the fan-suggested target at the end of the sketch. The fan also wins some form of Air Farce merchandise for having their choice be a Chicken Cannon target. In the "Year of the Farce" episodes, a special version of the Chicken Cannon has the top five targets of the year, with the first four being fired upon by a rubber chicken while the top target being fired as before. Past targets included:
 * Canadian party leaders Jean Chrétien, Stockwell Day, Alexa McDonough, Gilles Duceppe, and Joe Clark, for the 2000 election
 * Olympic figure skating judges, for their part in the scandal that had surrounded Jamie Salé and David Pelletier in the 2002 Winter Olympics
 * George W. Bush and Al Gore, for the scandal that surrounded the 2000 US Presidential Election
 * George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and Dick Cheney for their involvement in Iraq war
 * Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow, for the furor that resulted from the 2004–05 NHL lockout
 * Harry Potter
 * Ben Johnson
 * Alexei Yashin
 * Pikachu from Pokémon
 * Ricky Martin
 * Britney Spears
 * Canadian Idol host Ben Mulroney
 * Former mayor of Toronto Mel Lastman for being a "paternal bad boy"
 * Former CEO of Air Canada Robert Milton
 * Then-Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty
 * Marty McSorley for being suspended after assaulting by hockey stick in 2000, the only known target where Colonel Stacy attacks with hockey stick.
 * Osama bin Laden, for his involvement with the September 11 attacks. Note that this is the only known target where Colonel Stacey loads the Chicken Cannon himself.
 * Paul Martin and Stephen Harper for their unprofessional behaviour over the past year of 2005
 * The Y2K bug
 * Frank and Gordon, animated beavers used as advertising mascots for Bell Canada
 * Then-Canadian Environment Minister Rona Ambrose (for "messing up the environment")
 * Former Edmonton Oiler Chris Pronger for being a "turncoat"
 * Karlheinz Schreiber and Brian Mulroney were a tie in 2007.
 * Joe Biden and Sarah Palin
 * Don Cherry as requested by Ron MacLean when he was a guest in 2008.
 * John Baird
 * Stephen Harper's house (For not turning off his lights during Earth Hour.)
 * Patrick and Jonathan Roy
 * Stephen Harper, Stéphane Dion, Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton, and Gilles Duceppe for the 2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute.
 * The CBC for cancelling the Air Farce series and for losing the rights to the Hockey Night in Canada theme music to CTV
 * Vladimir Putin and Viktor Yanukovych for trying to meddling 2004 Ukrainian presidential election
 * Slobodan Milosevic
 * "Critic At Large", where Gilbert Smythe Bite-Me (Abbott), an entertainment critic, gives negative reviews, and takes regular potshots at the Women's Television Network, describing them as 'a bunch of scrotally-deprived, estrogen-sodden non-males', and 'not just because three of (his) ex-wives work there.'
 * "Sister Bessie". Sister Bessie (Holmes) is a Catholic nun commenting on various political topics either in the House of Commons or relating to outside sources like George W. Bush. The issues usually make her angry, causing her network Vision Television to block out any obscenities that she may say during her broadcast.
 * "Craig Oliver's 3-Way" (Abbott) talks recent news and events with opinions from three other panel members.
 * "Dave the Cabbie", where Dave (Ferguson), a cab driver, takes on a fare and proceeds to converse with them on various current events. Dave demands that the fare pay in cash and not with the Visa credit card (often with the line "You pay cash, no Visa. You pay Visa I kill you.") He also pronounces the I in Visa with a hard I (v-eye-za) and not a soft I (v-ee-za) as is usually the case. The cabbie also often takes the passenger somewhere other than requested and then demands an outrageous price. For a famous celebrity's death, Dave says "It's very sad about Mister Rogers. He imitates Rogers saying, "Not a beautiful day in the neighbourhood." Although he has a thick Ukrainian accent, he claims to be originally from Regina (The "flat part"). Although he usually speaks the most, when the client leaves he claims that "(he) thought that (the client) would never shut up."
 * "English as a Second Language News", hosted by Heikki Flergenpootz (Abbott, in a horned helmet) and Svetlana (Goy, in a fruit hat). The sketch is a typical newsroom sketch, often peppered with mistakes that typical ESL learners make. In later years, they typically said "Goodbye" at the beginning of the sketch and "Hello" at the end. Each sketch also included a third "guest commentator" portrayed by Ferguson, some of which would later get their own sketches.
 * "Get Stuffed", in which Jock McBile (Morgan), a Scottish-Canadian left-handed bagpipe repair man, put his spin on current events.
 * "I Love that Word Refoooorm", in which Preston Manning (Ferguson, although Manning himself has appeared in the sketch playing Ferguson's role), promotes his party, with comical results. Manning was frequently accompanied by various guests (most often Morgan as Deborah Grey, deputy leader of the party, although Grey herself has been a guest) who criticize Manning on his speech. Manning ended the sketch with the phrase "I love that word reform", with "reform" being drawn out for comedic effect.
 * "Knob of the Week", a sketch in the style of the Chicken Cannon "honouring" various acts of stupidity by various groups. It was introduced partially to replace the Chicken Cannon, which was specially reserved for the Year of the Farce show and possibly the season opener (both of which were one-hour shows compared to the regular 30-minute shows).
 * "Man's World" with Buck McSweeney (Ferguson). Typically, Ferguson is joined by a special guest star (most often an athlete) playing as themselves. Buck proceeds to do a typical sports interview while letting his obsession with synchronized swimming be known.
 * "Member for Kicking Horse Pass", in which the fictional Member of Parliament (Dave Broadfoot), reprising his original radio role, performs a solo comedy sketch (as a representative of the "New Apathetic Party".)
 * "News From Away" with Jimmy and Seamus O'Toole (Abbott and Ferguson). Another newsroom sketch where Abbott and Ferguson play newscasters from Newfoundland. There are a number of sketches-within-a-sketch interspersed throughout, common ones being:
 * "52 Weeks in 52 Seconds", in which Jimmy and Seamus rapid fire various one-liners based on events that occurred in the past year. It is typically a part of every Year of the Farce show.
 * "Point-Counterpoint", in which Jimmy and Seamus try to debate an issue from different points of view. However, one starts the argument and the other agrees on the spot.
 * "Seamus' Commentary", where Seamus makes a one-line commentary about one particular issue. In one sketch, he delivered his commentary in the style of a Rick Mercer streeter from This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and Mercer himself showed up mid-sketch to correct Seamus' delivery style.
 * During the show's live 300th episode, Alan Park played the role of Seamus, because the last sketch had Don Ferguson doing his Rex Murphy impersonation, accompanied by Mary Walsh who did her famous character, Marg: Princess Warrior.
 * "Not the Official Story", where a newspaper editor (Alan Park) comments on current events.
 * "Off the Record", a sketch that itself parodies TSN's Off The Record sports talk show, with Ferguson playing the role of host Michael Landsberg.
 * "Sermon from the Mount", where a prophet (Morgan) proceeds to recall current events in the style of a sermon or lines from the Bible.
 * "Speedvision News", a newsroom sketch (purportedly on the Speedvision television channel) where two anchors (Abbott and Ferguson) speak quickly while recalling current events. Similar sketches also lampoon Rogers Sportsnet's and The Score's news programmes (Sportsnetnews and Score Tonight), where Holmes and Ferguson play the roles of the anchors (Holmes plays either Jody Vance or Martine Gaillard, while it is unclear which sportscaster Ferguson is playing).
 * "Liberal and PC" a spoof of the "Get a Mac" ad, Park plays a Liberal (parody of the Mac) and Lauzon plays a "PC" (Progressive Conservative) and follows the outline of the Mac ad.
 * "Billy Two Willies", played by Abbott, a representative of First Nations, asserting their right to sell tax-free cigarettes and run casinos.

Individual sketches
Some of Air Farce's famous individual sketches include:

Politically correct version of "O Canada"
In response to criticisms from different groups about O Canada's lyrics, Air Farce had guest star Seán Cullen sing an edited, politically correct version of the anthem. The skit was performed on October 5, 2001.

The following is the lyrics of the edited "O Canada".

 * O Canada, our living quarters and aboriginals persons, including Inuit, Métis, and First Nations land
 * True patriot love, implying affection, but not in a sexual way, in all thy gender non-specific spouse offspring's suggestion
 * With glowing hearts, we get horny, the true North strong and free
 * From far and weight-challenged, O Canada, we stand or sit on guard for thee
 * Non-denominational, gender-unspecified supreme being keep our land, glorious and free
 * O Canada, we stand ready to sit down and discuss our differences in a civilized manner for thee
 * O Canada, we stand ready to sit down and discuss our differences in a civilized manner for thee

Guests
Air Farce has its share of guests, including those who portray themselves. The show generally features Canadian guest stars, or people whose careers are primarily Canadian, such as athletes Doug Flutie and Carlos Delgado.
 * Jann Arden – Arden was a guest who largely disliked her appearance on Air Farce. She was repeatedly interrupted when she was about to sing by Colonel Stacy, in the midst of preparing to fire the "Chicken Cannon". Although she got to fire the cannon, her experience on Air Farce, as she described it, was not a pleasant one.
 * Margaret Atwood – Atwood appeared at the final episode (New Year's Eve 2008) at the beginning of the show.
 * Mike Bullard – appeared on an episode of Gilbert Smythe Bite-Me.
 * Brent Butt
 * Jeffrey Buttle – Figure skater, after he won the world championship in March 2008.
 * Jean Charest appeared during the 1998 Year of the Farce in the sketch, 'Ottawa Confidencial.' According to the PI character played by Morgan, Charest had all the characteristics to become Prime Minister of Canada except that he was not born by a virgin.
 * Don Cherry – Appeared for a video message to the show's live 300th episode.
 * Jean Chrétien – Chrétien had one appearance on Air Farce, in which he claimed that Abbot's impersonation sounded more like Preston Manning.
 * Joe Clark – Pays a visit to Jean Chrétien (Abbott) to offer some advice, former Prime Minister to current Prime Minister; the gag is that everything Joe says has a word that rhymes with "right", since he is a Conservative while Chrétien is a Liberal.
 * Sheila Copps – During a New Year's Eve Special, the at-the-time Deputy Prime Minister interrupted the parody sketch "RoboCopps."
 * David Cronenberg – Appeared during an episode of Gilbert Smythe-Bite Me.
 * John Crosbie
 * Seán Cullen – Cullen has appeared several times on the show, initially as the leader of Corky and the Juice Pigs for a musical number comparing the 1993 Federal election to Gilligan's Island; he also appeared as "Quint" in a spoof of the movie Jaws.
 * Stockwell Day
 * Gill Deacon – Both she and George Stroumboulopoulos beat up Craig Lauzon.
 * Fred Ewanuick – In character as Hank Yarbo From Corner Gas, appeared on the live 300th episode.
 * Joe Flaherty – From SCTV, made an appearance in 2002.
 * Megan Follows – Best known for her role as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables; introduced Air Farce Live on December 7, 2007, and played the role of Sue Johanson in The Canadian View skit.
 * Red Green – Steve Smith appeared as Red Green doing a Handyman's Corner segment where he showed how to make an angel to top off a Christmas tree.
 * Deborah Grey – Grey appeared in one sketch on Air Farce, in which she was a guest on Ferguson's "I Love That Word Refooooorm" sketch. In the final moments of the sketch, she, along with Ferguson (as Preston Manning), sang Auld Lang Syne, forgetting most of the lyrics partway through.
 * Paul Gross – the star of Due South reprises his role in a "lost episode" in which he falls for Rita MacNeil (Goy).
 * Sitara Hewitt – From Little Mosque on the Prairie and You Bet Your Ass, appeared on the live 300th episode.
 * Mel Hurtig – First political guest on the TV show; as leader of the newly formed and almost unheard of National Party of Canada, he appeared in a game show where the contestants couldn't identify the man, even after he tells them who he is.
 * Sue Johanson – The host of Sunday Night Sex Show appeared during a New Year's Eve special. Luba Goy, who was parodying Johanson, got up to retrieve a book. Johanson herself returned, book in hand, exclaiming "Found it."
 * Flora MacDonald
 * Ron MacLean – the host of Hockey Night in Canada has appeared on Air Farce in several sketches, most notably one in which he portrays himself alongside Goy (as the Queen who is impersonating Don Cherry). He was also involved in a sketch where an airline passenger Onex CEO Gerry Schwartz is mistaken for him. Later in the sketch, Schwartz and MacLean (both guest stars portraying themselves), switch seats, and the passenger mistakes MacLean for Schwartz. Another memorable sketch had MacLean impersonate Cherry while Ferguson played the role of MacLean. MacLean also appeared for a video message to the show's live 300th episode. He also appeared in the final program of the series to fire the Chicken Cannon.
 * Shaun Majumder – Made an appearance in 2002, before his newscasting role on This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
 * John Manley – Manley appeared in a "Man's World" sketch (a rarity since he is a politician and not an athlete) shortly after his remarks on how Canada should abandon the monarchy. Most memorable in this sketch was Buck McSweeney's reaction to Manley's indifference towards synchronized swimming: "... and you call yourself Manley!"
 * Preston Manning – largely considered to be the first guest star on Air Farce, Manning has appeared in many sketches, including a Blair Witch Project parody. In some appearances, he also pronounced "Reform" in the same manner as Ferguson, who normally portrayed him in sketches.
 * Peter Mansbridge – Mansbridge has appeared on several Air Farce sketches, most notably a Man to Mansbridge sketch in which he is interviewed by Abbot (also as Mansbridge). In another memorable show, there was a running gag was where Mansbridge, in his role as anchor for The National, finds himself appointed as the head of CBC while announcing a new series of appointments by the prime minister. Mansbridge also appeared for a video message to the show's live 300th episode.
 * Paul Martin – Appeared on a spoof of Venture when he was Minister of Finance, and threatened to audit the host, Robert Scully (Ferguson) when he tries to hand deliver his tax return to save on postage.
 * Sheila McCarthy – From Little Mosque on the Prairie, appeared on the live 300th episode.
 * Patrick McKenna – McKenna has appeared in various Air Farce sketches, most notably one in which he appears as Marty Stephens, his character from Traders, but with the voice and mannerisms of his The Red Green Show character, Harold Green.
 * Rick Mercer – Mercer appeared on Air Farce in a sketch where Ferguson, as Seamus O'Toole, parodied his trademark "Screener" sketch from This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Mercer would first confront O'Toole, then later show him how it's done.
 * Colin Mochrie – Mochrie has appeared in various Air Farce sketches, most notably as an associate to Colonel Stacy on the "Chicken Cannon".
 * Ben Mulroney
 * Rex Murphy – Rex Murphy guest starred as himself, interviewing Samuel De Champlain.
 * Anne Murray – Murray appeared in one sketch titled Murray and the Queen, where the two shared their surprisingly similar New Year's resolutions.
 * Russell Peters – Appeared in an episode in 2005 and the 2015 New Year's Eve special as Dr. Malcolm Sidwell.
 * Bob Rae
 * Lloyd Robertson – Robertson, who had once stated that it was an honor to appear on Air Farce to parody himself, appeared in several Air Farce sketches, most notably in one where he, as the CTV news anchor, asks a correspondent, "Do you think I'm as handsome as Peter Mansbridge? What about Peter Kent? He's very good looking."
 * Carlo Rota – From Little Mosque on the Prairie, appeared on the live 300th episode.
 * Sonja Smits – From the TV series Traders, made two appearances in 2001.
 * Evan Solomon – Beat up Craig Lauzon.
 * Elvis Stojko
 * Trish Stratus – Stratus appeared in one Air Farce show, although she was a part of several sketches, most notably one where she portrayed a stripper in a sketch lampooning the Judy Sgro "strippergate" scandal. (This can also be a spoof of Trish herself, since she has refused several offers to appear in Playboy)
 * George Stroumboulopoulos – He and fellow CBC personality Gill Deacon beat up Craig Lauzon over Lauzon's impersonations of Stroumboulopoulos.
 * The Canadian Tire Couple (Ted Simonett and Gloria Slade) – They appeared in a sketch made to look like one of their regular ads, where they promoted the "Baby Power Washer".
 * Pamela Wallin – Wallin has made several appearances on Air Farce, including one in which Goy portrays herself as the Canadian host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? while Wallin, as Catherine Zeta-Jones, appears as a celebrity contestant.
 * Mary Walsh – Creator of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, appeared on the live 300th episode.
 * Brian Williams – then-CBC Sports anchor who has made several appearances on Air Farce, most memorably in which he portrays himself locked in his studio at the conclusion of the 2000 Olympic Games.
 * David Suzuki – Suzuki's appearance on Air Farce is memorable, as he appeared nude in the sketch (although the nudity was covered by a briefcase and later a desk), a parody of an ad campaign Suzuki participated in for his show The Nature of Things. In his sketch, he is interviewed, where the interviewer (Goy), aware of his nudity, is taken aback by Suzuki's apparent use of double entendres, and later faints when Suzuki asks her if she wanted to see his "genetically altered banana". Suzuki, clueless to the ordeal, then produces a slightly larger-than-normal banana.
 * Former premier of New Brunswick, Bernard Lord once appeared in an episode taped in Saint John.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Royal Canadian Air Farce (TV series)


text:
Talk:Sexual lubricant

Was red too much ?

 * Yes. BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS might be too much, too.
 * I don't think so.

 * Over in first aid I'm putting risk-to-life stuff in with minimal highlighting, typically something like Warning: in italics.

 * I believe too much is better than not enough.

We should have a breakdown by type: --- This makes me laugh out loud: Males and females masturbate differently
 * Water-based
 * Silicone-based
 * Water-based
 * other

I dont know what to say or do about this sensitive issue. Two16 22:54 Jan 9, 2003 (UTC)
 * Hahaha. I can think of a few things males and females might do to masturbate the same, though.  ^_^  KQ

title: Talk:Sexual lubricant


text:
Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the company is ranked No. 40 on the 2023 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations. In 2023, the company was ranked 40th in the Forbes Global 2000. Johnson & Johnson has a global workforce of approximately 130,000 employees who are led by the company's current chairman and chief executive officer, Joaquin Duato.

Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 by three brothers, Robert Wood Johnson, James Wood Johnson, and Edward Mead Johnson, selling ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings. In 2023, the company split off its consumer healthcare business sector into a new publicly traded company, Kenvue. The company is exclusively focused on developing and producing pharmaceutical prescription drugs and medical device technologies.

Johnson & Johnson is one of the world's most valuable companies and is one of only two U.S.-based companies that has a prime credit rating of AAA.

1873–1885: Before Johnson & Johnson
Robert Wood Johnson began his professional training at age 16 as a pharmaceutical apprentice at an apothecary run by his mother's cousin, James G. Wood, in Poughkeepsie, New York. Johnson co-founded his own company with George Seabury in 1873. The New York-based Seabury & Johnson became known for its medicated plasters. Robert Wood Johnson represented the company at the 1876 World's Fair. There he heard Joseph Lister's explanation of a new procedure: antiseptic surgery. Johnson parted ways with his business partner Seabury in 1885.

1886: Founding of Johnson & Johnson

Robert Wood Johnson joined his brothers, James Wood Johnson and Edward Mead Johnson, and created a line of ready-to-use sterile surgical dressings in 1886. They founded Johnson & Johnson in 1886  with 14 employees, eight women and six men. Johnson & Johnson opened its first factory building in the old Janeway and Carpenter factory on Neilson Street in New Brunswick, New Jersey. They manufactured sterile surgical supplies, household products, and medical guides. Those products initially featured a logo that resembled the signature of James Wood Johnson. Robert Wood Johnson served as the first president of the company.

1887–1942: Early history
The company sold medicated plasters such as Johnson & Johnson's Black Perfect Taffeta Court Plaster and also manufactured the world's first sterile surgical products, including sutures, absorbent cotton, and gauze. The company published "Modern Methods of Antiseptic Wound Treatment", a guide on how to do sterile surgery using its products, and in 1888, distributed 85,000 copies to doctors and pharmacists across the United States. The manual was translated into three languages and distributed worldwide. The first commercial first aid kit was designed in 1888 to support railroad construction workers, who were often hundreds of miles from medical care. The kits included antiseptic emergency supplies and directions for field use. In 1901, the company published the Handbook of First Aid, a guide on applying first aid.

In 1889, the company hired pharmacist Fred Kilmer as its first scientific director, who led its scientific research and wrote educational manuals. Kilmer's first achievement as scientific director was developing the industrial sterilization process. He was employed at the company until 1934.

Johnson & Johnson had more than 400 employees and 14 buildings by 1894. In 1894, the company began producing Johnson's Baby Powder, the company's first baby product.

The company introduced the world's first maternity kit in 1894 to aid at-home births, called Dr. Simpson's Maternity Packet, presumably after Scottish obstetrician James Young Simpson. The kit included a washcloth; safety pins; sterile sutures, sponges, and gauze; antiseptic soap; an obstetric sheet and ligatures; flannel to wrap the baby in; and a chart for keeping birth records. The products were later marketed separately, including "Lister's Towels", the world's first mass-produced sanitary napkins. Kilmer wrote "Hygiene in Maternity", an instructional guide for mothers before and after delivery. In 1904, the company expanded its baby care products with "Lister's Sanitary Diapers", a diaper product for infants.

During the Spanish–American War, Johnson & Johnson developed and donated 300,000 packaged compressed surgical dressings for soldiers in the field and created a trauma stretcher for field medics. The company donated its products in disaster relief efforts of the 1900 Galveston hurricane and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Johnson & Johnson vaccinated all of its employees against smallpox during the 1901 smallpox epidemic. The firm employed more than 1,200 people by 1910. Women accounted for half of the company's workforce and led a quarter of its departments.

Robert Wood Johnson died in 1910, and he was succeeded as president of the company by his brother James Wood Johnson.

During World War I, Johnson & Johnson factories increased production to meet wartime demands for sterile surgical products. In 1916, the company acquired Chicopee Manufacturing Company in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, to meet demand. Near the end of World War I, the 1918 flu pandemic broke out. The company invented and distributed an epidemic mask that helped prevent the spread of the flu.

In 1919, Johnson & Johnson opened the Gilmour Plant near Montreal, its first factory outside the United States, which produced surgical products for international customers. In 1924 the company's first overseas manufacturing facility was opened in Slough, England.

In 1920, Earle Dickson combined two Johnson & Johnson products, adhesive tape and gauze, to create the first commercial adhesive bandage. Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages began sales the following year. In 1921, the company released Johnson's Baby Soap. Named after its Massachusetts facility, Johnson & Johnson built a textile mill and company town, Chicopee, outside Gainesville, Georgia. In the 1930s, the company expanded operations to Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa. In 1931, Johnson & Johnson introduced the first prescription contraceptive gel marketed as Ortho-Gynol.

Robert Wood Johnson II became president of the company in 1932.

During The Great Depression Johnson & Johnson kept all its workers employed and raised wages by 5%. In 1933, Robert Wood Johnson II wrote a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt, calling for a federal law to increase wages and reduce hours for all American workers. The company also opened a new facility in Chicago during that period. Johnson wrote and distributed "Try Reality: A Discussion of Hours, Wages, and The Industrial Future" to persuade business leaders to follow his lead, advocating that business is more than profit and that companies have responsibilities to consumers, employees, and society. In "Try Reality", the section titled "An Industrial Philosophy" would later become the company's credo.

In 1935, Johnson's Baby Oil was added to its line of baby products. Both male and female Johnson & Johnson employees were drafted and enlisted during World War II. The company ensured no one would lose their job when they returned home. Robert Wood Johnson II was appointed head of the Smaller War Plants Corporation in Washington, D.C. His work ensured U.S. factories with under 500 employees were awarded government contracts.

1943: Credo and going public
In 1943, as the company was preparing for its initial public offering (IPO), Robert Wood Johnson wrote what the company would call, "Our Credo", a defining document that has been used to guide the company's decisions over the years. The company completed its IPO and became a public company in 1944.

In 1943, Vesta Stoudt identified a need for waterproof tape for ammunition boxes in World War Two. She wrote to Franklin D. Roosevelt with the idea; the president commissioned Revolite, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson at the time, to develop and manufacture a cloth-based adhesive tape.

1944–1999: Acquisitions and international expansion
In 1944, the company began selling Johnson's Baby Lotion. The same year, the company established Ethicon Suture Laboratories. In 1947, G. F. Merson Ltd. was acquired to expand the company's suture business in the United Kingdom. The company was rebranded and absorbed into Ethicon.

Johnson & Johnson chairman of the board, Robert Wood Johnson, published Or Forfeit Freedom, in 1947. The book outlined that businesses need to develop sustainable methods of using natural resources for the future of business and the planet.

In 1955, Ethicon developed a micro-point reverse-cutting ophthalmic needle attached to the suture. Micro-point surgical needles and sutures allowed for advances in modern vision surgery. In 1956, the company opened its first Asia-based operating company in the Philippines. The following year, an operating company opened in India.

In 1959, Johnson & Johnson acquired McNeil Laboratories. A year later, the company sold Tylenol for the first time without a prescription. In the same year, Cilag Chemie joined Johnson & Johnson as Cilag.

In 1961, Johnson & Johnson acquired Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which had been founded in 1953 by Belgian scientist Paul Janssen, the inventor of Fentanyl.

In 1963, Philip B. Hofmann succeeded Robert Wood Johnson as chairman and CEO. He was the first non-Johnson family member to become chief executive. Hofmann also helped found the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In the same year, the Food and Drug Administration approved a synthetic hormone contraceptive pill, Ortho-Novum.

In 1965, Johnson & Johnson acquired Codman & Shurtleff. The acquired company produced neurovascular devices and neurosurgery technologies. In 1968, the company developed the RhoGAM vaccine. The vaccine prevented Rh hemolytic disease in newborns.

In 1969, Ortho Diagnostics, a company subsidiary, launched the Sickledex Tube Test for detecting anemia. The same year, the FDA approved the Johnson & Johnson arterial graft. In 1971, the company launched Hapindex Diagnostic Test, a rapid hepatitis B test for blood donors. The test was developed to prevent the spread of hepatitis B through blood transfusions.

In the 1970s, Johnson & Johnson hired Henry N. Cobb from Pei Cobb Freed & Partners to design its new headquarters. The firm designed Johnson & Johnson Plaza across the railroad tracks from the older section of the Johnson & Johnson campus.

In 1973, Richard Sellars became chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. In 1976, James E. Burke became the company's chairman and CEO. During Burke's tenure, he managed the 1982 Tylenol tampering incident. It became a case study on crisis management. Under his leadership, the company recalled 31 million bottles of Tylenol, relaunched the product with a triple tamper-evident seal, and urged consumers not to use if tampered with. These practices became the pharmaceutical and packaged food industry norm.

Johnson & Johnson opened operating companies in China and Egypt in 1985. In 1987, Acuvue contact lenses became the first disposable contact lenses available to consumers. The lenses lasted up to one week, reducing the cost of contact lenses. In the same year, the company launched One Touch, a blood glucose monitoring system. In 1989, Ralph S. Larsen was appointed chairman and CEO of the company.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Johnson & Johnson expanded into eastern Europe. By 1991, the company had a presence in Hungary, Russia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. In the 1990s, the company acquired many familiar consumer health brands that made up the Johnson & Johnson family of companies. These acquisitions included Clean & Clear, Neutrogena, Motrin, and Aveeno.

Johnson & Johnson opened an operating company in Israel in 1996. In 1997, Johnson & Johnson acquired Biosense Webster. DePuy was acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 1998, rolling it into the Medtech business group.

2000–present
William C. Weldon was appointed chairman and CEO of the company in 2002. In 2003, Ethicon launched Vicryl Plus Antibacterial Sutures. The products prevent post-surgery infection within stitches. In 2006, Johnson & Johnson acquired Pfizer's consumer healthcare business and merged it with its consumer healthcare business group. The acquisition added brands like Listerine, Bengay, and Neosporin to the company's portfolio. In the same year, Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceuticals, launched Prezista, a protease inhibitor for patients with failed previous HIV therapies.

In 2008, Johnson & Johnson acquired Mentor Corporation for $1 billion and merge its operations into Ethicon. In 2009, the company acquired HealthMedia, later renamed to Health & Wellness Solutions and the Human Performance Institute. In October 2010, J&J acquired Crucell for $2.4 billion. The subsidiary operates as the centre for vaccines, within Johnson & Johnson pharmaceuticals business group.

In 2012, Alex Gorsky became chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson. In November 2015, Biosense Webster, Inc. acquired Coherex Medical Inc. expanding the company's range of treatment options for patients with atrial fibrillation.

In 2017, Johnson & Johnson acquired Abbott Medical Optics from Abbott Laboratories for $4.325 billion, adding the new division into Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. in 2017. That same year, Johnson & Johnson acquired Actelion in a $30 billion deal, the largest ever purchase by the company. After the purchase, Johnson & Johnson spun off Actelion's research and development unit into a separate legal entity. In July 2017, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc acquired TearScience. In September 2017, the company acquired subscription-based contact lens startup Sightbox. In September of the same year Johnson & Johnson Medical GmbH acquired Emerging Implant Technologies GmbH, manufacturer of 3D-printed titanium interbody implants for spinal fusion surgery.

In March 2019, the FDA approved esketamine for the treatment of severe depression, which is marketed as Spravato by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. In 2019, Johnson & Johnson announced the release of photochromic contact lenses. The lenses adjust to sunlight and help eyes recover from bright light exposure faster. The lenses contain a photochromic additive that adapts visible light amounts filtered to the eyes and are the first to use such additives.

In November 2020, Johnson & Johnson acquired Momenta Pharmaceuticals for $6.5 billion.

In January 2022, Joaquin Duato became CEO of Johnson & Johnson.

In December 2022, Johnson & Johnson acquired cardiovascular medical technology company Abiomed Inc. for $16.6 billion.

Johnson & Johnson began the separation of their consumer healthcare business sector in November 2021. In the split, Johnson & Johnson will retain the Johnson & Johnson name for prescription drugs and medical devices, while the second company will sell consumer health products and take over the Neutrogena, Aveeno, Tylenol, Listerine, Johnson's, Band-Aid and other brands. In September 2022, Johnson & Johnson chose Kenvue as the new name for its Consumer Health business. Kenvue went public through an IPO in May 2023, with Johnson & Johnson maintaining a controlling stake of around 91 percent. On July 24, 2023, Johnson & Johnson Launched an exchange offer to split-off Kenvue. Following the completion of the exchange offer, Johnson & Johnson will retain approximately 9.5% of the outstanding shares of Kenvue common stock.

Johnson & Johnson holds a patent on the tuberculosis-treating drug bedaquiline, with secondary patents in at least 25 out of 43 countries with a high burden of tuberculosis blocking affordable generic versions of the drug, preventing millions of people from accessing the life-saving treatment. Though the patent was set to expire in many countries in 2023, Johnson & Johnson applied to extend the patent. On July 13, 2023, Stop TB Partnership announced that after negotiations with Johnson & Johnson, they had been granted licenses to produce generic versions of the drug.

In January 2024, Johnson & Johnson announced it was acquiring Ambrx Biopharma for $2 billion. In April 2024, Johnson & Johnson announced it was acquiring Shockwave Medical for $13.1 billion. In May, the business announced it would acquire Proteologix for $850 million.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) response
Johnson & Johnson committed over $1 billion toward the development of a not-for-profit COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Paul Stoffels of Johnson & Johnson said, "In order to go fast, the people of Johnson & Johnson are committed to do this and all together we say we're going to do this not for profit. That's the fastest and the best way to find all the collaborations in the world to make this happen so we commit to bring this at a not-for-profit level."

Janssen Vaccines, in partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), is responsible for developing the vaccine candidate, based on the same technology used to make its Ebola vaccine. The vaccine candidate is expected to enter phase 1 human clinical study in September 2020.

Demand for the product Tylenol surged two to four times normal levels in March 2020. In response, the company increased production globally. For example, the Tylenol plant in Puerto Rico ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In response to the shortage of ventilators, Ethicon, with Prisma Health, made and distributed the VESper Ventilator Expansion Splitter, which uses 3D printing technology, to allow one ventilator to support two patients.

Janssen COVID-19 vaccine
In June 2020, Johnson & Johnson and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) confirmed its intention to start a clinical trials of J&J's vaccine in September 2020, with the possibility of Phase 1/2a human clinical trials starting at an accelerated pace in the second half of July.

On August 5, 2020, the US government agreed to pay more than $1 billion to Johnson & Johnson (medical device company) for the production of 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. As part of the agreed-upon deal, the U.S. can order up to 200 million additional doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

In September 2020, Johnson & Johnson started its 60,000-person phase 3 adenovirus-based vaccine trial. The trial was paused on October 12, 2020, because a volunteer became ill, but the company said it found no evidence that the vaccine had caused the illness and announced on October 23, 2020, that it would resume the trial.

In April 2021, the company reported that its COVID-19 vaccine achieved $100 million sales in the first quarter, accounting for less than 1% of its total revenue.

Business sectors
The company's business is divided into two business sectors: Innovative Medicine and MedTech.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation, LLC (JJI) is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. JJI focuses on early-stage, life science, and technology innovations to advance the company's research and development pipeline. JJI provides startups with sourcing, infrastructure, and capital equipment at JLABS, financing & venture capital at JJDC, Inc., and collaborations leading to the potential development of medical device technologies, pharmaceuticals, and therapeutics. There are 4 JJI Innovation Centers located in London, Shanghai, Boston (Cambridge), and the San Francisco Bay Area. There are 13 JLABS incubators located in the Bay Area (San Francisco and South San Francisco), Belgium (Beerse), Boston (Cambridge and Lowell), Houston (TMC), New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, Shanghai, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.

Innovative Medicine
The Innovative Medicine (formerly known as pharmaceuticals) segment is focused on six therapeutic areas: immunology (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis); infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS); neuroscience (mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders and schizophrenia); oncology (solid tumours including lung cancer, prostate cancer and bladder cancer, and hematologic malignancies); cardiovascular, metabolism, retina (thrombosis and diabetes), and pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary arterial hypertension).

MedTech
The Cardiovascular & Specialty Solutions Group includes electrophysiology products that diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias; devices used in the endovascular treatment of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke; solutions that focus on breast reconstruction and aesthetics, and ear, nose and throat procedures.

The orthopaedics portfolio is composed of specialties including joint reconstruction, trauma, extremities, craniomaxillofacial, spinal surgery and sports medicine, in addition to the VELY digital surgery portfolio.

The surgery portfolio includes advanced surgical innovations and solutions such as sutures, staplers, energy devices, and advanced hemostats along with interventional ablation, surgical robotics, and digital solutions.

The Johnson & Johnson Vision portfolio includes contact lens, intraocular lens, automated treatment for dry eye, and four brands of laser vision correction systems.

Finance
For the fiscal year 2022, Johnson & Johnson reported earnings of $17.9 billion, with an annual revenue of $94.94 billion, an increase of 1.25% over the previous fiscal cycle. Johnson & Johnson's shares traded at over $175 per share, and its market capitalization was valued at over $439.8billion in September 2022.

Corporate governance
As of 2023, the members of the board of directors of Johnson & Johnson are Joaquin Duato, Darius Adamczyk, Mary C. Beckerle, D. Scott Davis, Jennifer A. Doudna, Marillyn A. Hewson, Paula A. Johnson, Hubert Joly, Mark B. McClellan, Anne M. Mulcahy, Mark A. Weinberger, Nadja Y. West, and Eugene A. Woods.

As of 2023, the members of the executive committee of Johnson & Johnson are Joaquin Duato, Vanessa Broadhurst, Peter Fasolo, Liz Forminard, William N. Hait, Tim Schmid, John C. Reed, James Swanson, Jennifer Taubert, Kathy E. Wengel, and Joseph J. Wolk.

Joaquin Duato is chairman and chief executive officer.

Chairmen

 * Robert Wood Johnson I (1887–1910)
 * James Wood Johnson (1910–1932)
 * Robert Wood Johnson II (1932–1963)
 * Philip B. Hofmann (1963–1973)
 * Richard B. Sellars (1973–1976)
 * James E. Burke (1976–1989)
 * Ralph S. Larsen (1989–2002)
 * William C. Weldon (2002–2012)
 * Alex Gorsky (2012–2022)
 * Joaquin Duato (2023–present)

Ownership
Johnson & Johnson is mainly owned by institutional investors, with over 70% of shares held. The 10 largest shareholder of Johnson & Johnson in December 2023 were:

 * The Vanguard Group (9.52%)
 * BlackRock (7.73%)
 * State Street Corporation (5.52%)
 * Geode Capital Management (2.13%)
 * Morgan Stanley (1.73%)
 * State Farm (1.32%)
 * JPMorgan Chase (1.24%)
 * Northern Trust (1.23%)
 * Capital International Investors (1.20%)
 * Norges Bank (1.08%)

Environmental record
Johnson & Johnson has set several positive goals to keep the company environmentally friendly and was ranked third among the United States's largest companies in Newsweek's "Green Rankings". Some examples are the reduction in water use, waste, and energy use and an increased level of transparency. Johnson & Johnson agreed to change its packaging of plastic bottles used in the manufacturing process, switching their packaging of liquids to non-polyvinyl chloride containers. The corporation is working with the Climate Northwest Initiative and the EPA National Environmental Performance Track program. As a member of the national Green Power Partnership, Johnson & Johnson operates the largest solar power generator in Pennsylvania at its site in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

1982 Chicago Tylenol murders
On September 29, 1982, a "Tylenol scare" began when the first of seven individuals died in Chicago metropolitan area, after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol that had been deliberately laced with cyanide. Within a week, the company pulled 31 million bottles of capsules back from retailers, making it one of the first major recalls in American history. The incident led to reforms in the packaging of over-the-counter substances and to federal anti-tampering laws. The case remains unsolved and no suspects have been charged. Johnson & Johnson's quick response, including a nationwide recall, was widely praised by public relations experts and the media and was the gold standard for corporate crisis management.

2010 children's product recall
On April 30, 2010, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, voluntarily recalled 43 over-the-counter children's medicines, including Tylenol, Tylenol Plus, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl. The recall was conducted after a routine inspection at a manufacturing facility in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, United States, revealed that some "products may not fully meet the required manufacturing specifications". Affected products may contain a "higher concentration of active ingredients" or exhibit other manufacturing defects. Products shipped to Canada, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guam, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Fiji were included in the recall. In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said "a comprehensive quality assessment across its manufacturing operations" was underway. A dedicated website was established by the company listing affected products and other consumer information.

2010 hip-replacement recall
On August 24, 2010, DePuy, a subsidiary of American giant Johnson & Johnson, recalled its ASR (articular surface replacement) hip prostheses from the market. DePuy said the recall was due to unpublished National Joint Registry data showing a 12% revision rate for resurfacing at five years and an ASR XL revision rate of 13%. All hip prostheses fail in some patients, but it is expected that the rate will be about 1% a year. Pathologically, the failing prosthesis had several effects. Metal debris from wear of the implant led to a reaction that destroyed the soft tissues surrounding the joint, leaving some patients with long term disability. Ions of cobalt and chromium – the metals from which the implant was made – were also released into the blood and cerebral spinal fluid in some patients.

In March 2013, a jury in Los Angeles ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay more than $8.3million in damages to a Montana man in the first of more than 10,000 lawsuits pending against the company in connection with the now-recalled DePuy hip.

Some lawyers and industry analysts have estimated that the suits ultimately will cost Johnson & Johnson billions of dollars to resolve.

2010 Tylenol recall
In 2010 and 2011, Johnson & Johnson voluntarily recalled some over-the-counter products, including Tylenol, due to an odor caused by tribromoanisole. In this case, 2,4,6-tribromophenol was used to treat wooden pallets on which product packaging materials were transported and stored.

Shareholders lawsuit
In 2010 a group of shareholders sued the board for allegedly failing to take action to prevent serious failings and illegalities since the 1990s, including manufacturing problems, bribing officials, covering up adverse effects and misleading marketing for unapproved uses. The judge initially dismissed the case in September 2011, but allowed the plaintiffs opportunity to refile at a later time. In 2012 Johnson and Johnson proposed a settlement with the shareholders, whereby the company would institute new oversight, quality and compliance procedures binding for five years.

Illegal marketing of Risperdal
Juries in several US states have found J&J guilty of concealing the adverse effects of Janssen Pharmaceuticals' antipsychotic medication Risperdal, produced by its unit, to promote it to doctors and patients as better than cheaper generics, and of falsely marketing it for treating patients with dementia. States that have awarded damages include Texas ($158million), South Carolina ($327million), Louisiana ($258million), and most notably Arkansas ($1.2billion).

In 2010, the United States Department of Justice joined a whistleblowers suit accusing the company of illegally marketing Risperdal through Omnicare, the largest company supplying pharmaceuticals to nursing homes. The allegations include that J&J were warned by the FDA to not promote Risperdal as effective and safe for elderly patients, but they did so, and that they paid Omnicare to promote the drug to care home physicians. The settlement was finalized on November 4, 2013, with J&J agreeing to pay a penalty of around $2.2billion, "including criminal fines and forfeiture totaling $485million and civil settlements with the federal government and states totaling $1.72billion".

Johnson & Johnson has also been subject to congressional investigations related to payments given to psychiatrists to promote its products and ghost write articles, notably Joseph Biederman and his pediatric bipolar disorder research unit.

Foreign bribery
In 2011, J&J settled litigation brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and paid around $70M in disgorgement and fines. J&J's employees had given kickbacks and bribes to doctors in Greece, Poland, and Romania to obtain business selling drugs and medical devices and had bribed officials in Iraq to win contracts under the Oil for Food program. J&J fully cooperated with the investigation once the problems came to light.

Consumer fraud settlements
In May 2017, J&J reached an agreement to pay $33million to several states to settle consumer fraud allegations in some of the company's over-the-counter drugs.

Use of the Red Cross symbol

Johnson & Johnson registered the Red Cross as a U.S. trademark for "medicinal and surgical plasters" in 1905 and has used the design since 1887. The Geneva Conventions, which reserved the Red Cross emblem for specific uses, were first approved in 1864 and ratified by the United States in 1882. However, the emblem was not protected by U.S. law for the use of the American Red Cross (ARC) and the U.S. military until after Johnson & Johnson had obtained its trademark. A clause in this law (now 18 U.S.C. 706) permits this pre-existing use of the Red Cross to continue.

A declaration made by the U.S. upon its ratification of the 1949 Geneva Conventions includes a reservation that pre-1905 U.S. domestic uses of the Red Cross, such as Johnson & Johnson's, would remain lawful as long as the cross is not used on "aircraft, vessels, vehicles, buildings or other structures, or upon the ground", i.e., uses which could be confused with its military uses. This means that the U.S. did not agree to any interpretation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions that would overrule Johnson & Johnson's trademark. The American Red Cross continues to recognize the validity of Johnson & Johnson's trademark.

In August 2007, Johnson & Johnson filed a lawsuit against the ARC, demanding that the charity halt the use of the red cross symbol on products it sells to the public, though the company takes no issue with the charity's use of the mark for nonprofit purposes. In May 2008, the judge in the case dismissed most of Johnson & Johnson's claims, and a month later the two organizations announced a settlement had been reached in which both parties would continue to use the symbol.

Boston Scientific lawsuits
Since 2003, Johnson & Johnson and Boston Scientific have both claimed that the other had infringed on their patents covering heart stent medical devices. The litigation was settled when Boston Scientific agreed to pay $716million to Johnson & Johnson in September 2009 and an additional $1.73billion in February 2010. Their dispute was renewed in 2014, now on the grounds of a contract dispute.

Patent-infringement case against Abbott
In 2007, Johnson & Johnson sued Abbott Laboratories over the development and sale of the arthritis drug Humira, claiming Abbott used technology licensed exclusively to Johnson & Johnson's Centocor division. Johnson & Johnson won the court case, and in 2009 Abbott was ordered to pay Johnson & Johnson $1.17billion in lost revenues and $504million in royalties. The judge also added $175.6million in interest to bring the total to $1.84billion. This was the largest patent-infringement award in U.S. history until the 2013 decision against Teva in favor of Takeda and Pfizer for over $2.1billion. In 2010 Abbott appealed the verdict and in 2011 won the appeal.

Vaginal mesh implants
Tens of thousands of women worldwide have taken legal action against Johnson & Johnson after suffering serious complications following a vaginal mesh implant procedure. In Australia, more than 700 women began a class action against the company in the Federal Court of Australia in 2017, telling the court they "suffered irreparable, debilitating pain after the devices began to erode into surrounding tissue and organs, causing infections and complications". The class action alleged that Johnson & Johnson, which "aggressively marketed" the implants "failed to properly warn patients and surgeons of the risk, or test the devices adequately". Emails between executives show the company was aware of the risks in 2005 but still went ahead and made the product available. In November 2019 the Federal Court of Australia found Johnson & Johnson negligent. The judgment was appealed, with the appeals court upholding all findings of Justice Anna Katzman. Ethicon then sought a High Court decision but this was not permitted by the High Court of Australia. Subsequently (September 2022) a A$300,000,000 compensation agreement was reached between Shine Lawyers and J&J but this agreement remains subject to approval by the Federal Court of Australia.

In the US in 2016 the U.S. states of California and Washington filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of deception. In October 2019, the company and its subsidiary, Ethicon, Inc. reached a settlement with 41 states and the District of Columbia, with no admission of liability, in a suit alleging deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical-mesh devices. The suit also alleges that the company failed to disclose risks associated with the product, which J&J pulled from the US market in 2012. The amount settled in the suit was about $117million.

Baby powder
J&J has been the subject of over 26,000 lawsuits claiming that its baby powder causes ovarian cancer. The lawsuits focus on claims that the talc-based powder is contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen commonly found in places where talc is mined.

In 2016, J&J was ordered to pay $72million in damages to the family of Jacqueline Fox, a 62-year-old woman who died of ovarian cancer in 2015. The company said it would appeal. A year later, over 1,000 U.S. women had sued J&J for covering up the possible cancer risk from its Baby Powder product. The company says that 70% of its Baby Powder is used by adults. Later that year, a California jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $417million to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer after using the company's talc-based products like Johnson's Baby Powder for feminine hygiene. The verdict included $70million in compensatory damages and $347million in punitive damages. J&J said they would appeal the verdict. The Missouri Eastern District appeals court later negated a $72million jury verdict in the Jacqueline Fox lawsuit, ruling it lacked jurisdiction in Missouri because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that imposed limits on where injury lawsuit can be filed. Subsequently, this ruling killed three other recent St. Louis jury verdicts of more than $200million combined. Fox, 62, of Birmingham, Alabama, died in 2015, about four months before her trial was held in St. Louis Circuit Court. She was among 65 plaintiffs, of whom only two were from Missouri.

A St. Louis jury awarded nearly $4.7billion in damages to 22 women and their families in 2018 after they claimed that asbestos in Johnson & Johnson talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer. In August, J&J said that it removed several chemicals from baby powder products and re-engineered them to make consumers more confident that products were safer for children. The company was forced to release internal documents with 11,700 people suing J&J over cancers allegedly caused by baby powder. The documents showed that the company had known about asbestos contamination since at least as early as 1971 and had spent decades finding ways to conceal the evidence from the public.

The company lost its request to reverse a jury verdict that ruled in favor of the accusers, which required the company to pay $4.14billion in punitive damages and $550million in compensatory damages. A large study performed in 2003 found that ovarian cancer risk increased from a baseline of 0.0121% to 0.0161% in people who reported regularly using talc in the genital area. Two more studies over the next twelve years, which also relied on self-reporting, had similar results; however, none of the three studies showed a relationship between how long someone used talc and how much their cancer risk increased, which is expected in experiments with carcinogens and other toxic substances (see dose–response relationship).

Conversely, a St. Louis jury ruled in favor of Johnson & Johnson in the case of a single plaintiff who had used the company's talc-containing baby powder for thirty years with a similar claim. The company's CEO, Alex Gorsky, declined to appear at a United States congressional hearing on the safety of J&J's Baby Powder and other talc-based cosmetics. J&J spokesman Ernie Knewitz said that the subcommittee had rejected the company's offers to send a talc testing expert or a J&J executive in charge of consumer products. In response to declining demand, J&J announced it would discontinue the sale of talc-based baby powder in the United States and Canada in 2020, but would continue to sell it in other markets. In a statement, the company said that the existing retail inventory of the talc-based powder will sell until it runs out, while the company's cornstarch-based baby powder will continue to sell in the United States and Canada.

The Supreme Court of Missouri refused to consider J&J's appeal of a $2.12 billion damages award to women who blamed their ovarian cancer on its talc-based products.

The Supreme Court of the United States also refused to consider an appeal from J&J, leaving in place a judgment from a state appeal court that had cut the original award to $2.1 billion. Two of the justices had to recuse: Samuel Alito because either he and/or his wife owning or recently owning stock in J&J, and Brett Kavanaugh, whose father led an industry group lobbying against safety warnings on talc products. Representing the affected women during the trial, Mark Lanier remarked that the Supreme Court's decision sent "a clear message to the rich and powerful: You will be held to account when you cause grievous harm under our system of equal justice under law." J&J had argued that the combined claims in the St. Louis trial were too different, yet the short jury deliberation and identical payouts were, therefore, a violation of the company's due process and also that the high punitive award was unconstitutional.

In 2021, Johnson & Johnson subsidiary LTL Management LLC, using a process called a Texas divisional merger, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in North Carolina. The process allowed by Texas law lets a company create a separate subsidiary to take over liabilities, with the existing company operating normally. The new company, with a different name, can locate in a state such as North Carolina where bankruptcy laws are different, and then declare bankruptcy, paying less than the original company would have. In the case of LTL, a $2 billion trust will be created, compared to $25 billion if Johnson & Johnson had declared bankruptcy. According to the filing, a company known as Old JJCI took on the baby powder related liabilities in 1979, while Johnson & Johnson remained a defendant. LTL and New JJCI were created with LTL taking the baby powder related liabilities and some assets, and New JJCI taking the remaining assets. Johnson & Johnson says LTL is now based in New Jersey.

The company announced that it would stop making talc-based powder by 2023 and replace it with cornstarch-based powders. The company says the talc-based powder is safe to use and does not contain asbestos.

In 2023, the number of lawsuits regarding talc-based baby powder has exceeded 40,000 as more claimants come forward to say that the company's product caused them to have cancer. Johnson & Johnson have now reportedly offered $9 billion to settle all the lawsuits against the company, up from the previous figure of $2 billion.

Opioid epidemic
By 2018, the company had become embroiled in the opioid epidemic in the United States and had become a target of lawsuits. Over 500 opioid-related cases have been filed as of May 2018 against J&J and its competitors. In Idaho, J&J is part of a lawsuit accusing the company for being partially to blame for opioid-related overdose deaths. The first major trial began in Oklahoma in May 2019. On August 26, 2019, the Oklahoma judge ordered J&J to pay $572million for their part in the opioid crisis, and in October J&J paid $20.4million to two Ohio counties fighting the opioid epidemic. In January 2022, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay up to $5 billion as part of a $26 billion settlement which included McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Cardinal Health. Had the states gone to court, the companies could have faced up to $95 billion in penalties.

Northeastern Ohio Settlement
In October 2019, the company agreed to a settlement of $20.4million with two Ohio counties – Cuyahoga (Cleveland) and Summit (Akron). The settlement allows the company avoidance of a trial accusing J&J and many other pharmaceutical manufacturers of helping to spark the US opioid epidemic. The trial was thought to be an indicator for thousands of opioid-related lawsuits against many drug manufacturers. The arrangement, which contains no admission of liability by the company, provides the counties $10million in cash, $5million for legal expenses and $5.4million in contributions to opioid-related nonprofit organizations in the counties.

Public-private engagement
Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries engage with the public and private sectors in a variety of settings including to promote research and development, academic funding, event sponsorship, philanthropy, and political lobbying.

Academia

 * J&J is a matching gift donor to the Institute for Advanced Study.

Activism

 * J&J is a corporate partner of Human Rights Campaign, a large LGBT advocacy group.
 * J&J is a financial supporter of Women Deliver.

Political lobbying
Johnson & Johnson is engaged in various forms of lobbying in the United States, Canada and internationally, including through corporate philanthropy and membership in lobbying organizations.
 * J&J is one of the largest donors to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), having donated $5–10 million from 2000 to 2020.
 * J&J is a partner of the Pandemic Action Network.
 * J&J is a member company of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), trade associations that lobby the U.S. Government on behalf of the Biotechnology Industry and pharmaceutical industry. BIO and PhRMA have offices in Washington, D.C., with PhRMA also having locations in Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
 * J&J is a member of the Personalized Medicine Coalition, a medical research advocacy group that lobbies on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry to increase funding for personalized medicine research and development.
 * J&J is a member company of the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC), a nonprofit that advocates for expanded research funding and innovation.

Research and development
J&J has provided research grants and major funding to the C. D. Howe Institute.

title: Johnson & Johnson