December 25, 2019 - The last few years have seen many lawsuits filed against pharmaceutical giant, Johnson & Johnson regarding their most iconic item, J & J’s Baby Powder, with talc. In fact, the smell of Johnson’s baby powder is considered to be one of the sixth most-recognized smells in the entire world. Unfortunately, J & J has faced a barrage of lawsuits over their baby powder with talc from women who have developed ovarian cancer after using J & J baby powder with talc or Shower to Shower with talc for feminine hygiene purposes. It is believed that when talc-based products are used in the perineal area, the talc fibers travel to the ovaries where they embed themselves. This results in inflammation, which, in turn, can lead to ovarian cancer.
More recently, asbestos fibers have also been found in some of J & J’s talc-based products, leading to a new group of lawsuits. Across the nation, there are more than 20,000 pending lawsuits against J & J, both from women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer after using J & J talc products, as well as from those who have developed mesothelioma from inhaling the asbestos fibers. A number of verdicts in the millions of dollars have been awarded to plaintiffs over the past several years, however many of those verdicts have been reversed, citing errors of law or venue issues.
What Types of Pathologies Qualify to File a Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Case? Epithelial serous cancers comprise most of the talcum powder ovarian cancer cases, making up about 90% of these cases. The other ten percent is split among epithelial mucinous cancers, epithelial endometrioid cancers, epithelial borderline tumors, epithelial clear cell cancers, undifferentiated epithelial cancers, along with fallopian tube primary cancers, and primary peritoneal cancers. The genital use of talc was associated with elevated epithelial ovarian cancer risk; among women with no personal use of talc powder, there was no increased risk, therefore only those with personal genital talc exposures were classified a “ever-users.”
Genital talc use was adjusted only for age, study center, and phase. The average age women began using talc was 20; risk decreased with increased time since last use. This is not to say that talc does not potentially play a causative role in some of the rarer types of ovarian cancer, however, there are no clinical studies that have found a link between these rarer cancers and baby powder usage, which makes those cases more difficult to litigate successfully.
The issue of ovarian cancer and baby powder was first investigated in 1971 when researchers found talc fibers in ovarian tumors removed from women with ovarian cancer. A later study, done in 1982, also found a connection between using talcum powder in the perineal region and ovarian cancer. A 2016 research project found that using talc in the genital region could result in an increase of ovarian cancer risk by 33 percent.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer found a small risk that talcum powder could be carcinogenic when used in the genital region. The CDC has repeatedly said that inhaling talc could damage the lungs—and considering the recent discovery of asbestos in talcum powder, this is an even greater concern. The European Union has banned talc in all beauty and health products, so it cannot be purchased in most European countries. Since cornstarch powders are a safe alternative to talcum powder, it is unclear why Johnson & Johnson has not pulled their talcum powders from the market.
How our Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawyers Can Help - If you have developed ovarian cancer as a result of using talcum powder for feminine hygiene, it is important to speak to an experienced talcum powder ovarian cancer attorney as quickly as possible. Your attorney will be able to thoroughly examine the facts of your case, helping you determine whether a lawsuit is the right choice for you. Your attorney will understand all the nuances of your talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuit, including any statutes of limitations, and the medical issues associated with your claim. Contact one of our talcum powder ovarian cancer attorneys today.