This 1975 internal memo really sums it up:

“Our current posture with respect to the sponsorship of talc safety studies has been to initiate studies only as dictated by confrontation. This philosophy, so far, has allowed us to neutralize or hold in check data already generated by investigators who question the safety of talc. The principal advantage for this operating philosophy lies in the fact that we minimize the risk of possible self-generation of scientific data which may be politically or scientifically embarrassing.”
- G. Lee, a J&J applied research director, “strictly confidential” memo from March 3 1975 to Dr. D.R.Petterson & Dr. B. Semple, managers of the baby products division regarding Management Authorization for Talc Safety Studies

More gross memos in this 2018 J&J Reuters investigation: “Johnson & Johnson knew for decades that asbestos lurked in its Baby Powder”