What are the Dangers Associated with Talcum Powder?

Baby powder with talc was developed by J & J scientists in the 1890s. The soft, silky feel and iconic smell made the product incredibly successful, for nearly 130 years. The smell of J & J baby powder still ranks among the top ten most memorable smells in the United States.

Yet there was a darker side to Johnson & Johnson baby powder with talc, beginning in the 1930s. Doctors who dusted their surgical gloves with talcum powder during peritonitis surgeries found out later that the talc fibers left inside the abdominal cavities of the patients caused significant levels of inflammation—a known cause of cancer.

In the 1980s Harvard researchers found that women who used talcum powder for feminine hygiene purposes had twice the risk of ovarian cancer as the talc fibers could travel up the reproductive tract, finding their way to the ovaries where they burrowed in, causing inflammation, and ovarian cancer.

Where Does the Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer Litigation in Boston, Massachusetts Stand?

Deane Berg filed the first baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuit in 2009. Berg was only 49 when she developed ovarian cancer, after using J & J baby powder with talc for feminine hygiene purposes for more than three decades. While Berg was offered a sizeable confidential settlement, she chose to take her case to court because she wanted more women to know about the potential dangers of talc-based products. The jury found in favor of Berg but awarded her no compensation.

Since that time, there have been many sizeable verdicts against Johnson & Johnson, including a verdict in the billions in 2018 to 22 women. J & J appealed every verdict that was not in their favor, but a Missouri Appeals Court upheld this particular verdict in June 2020, although the punitive portion was cut in half. As many as 20,000 lawsuits are currently pending against J & J, with many of these lawsuits filed by women in the state of Massachusetts.

Has J & J Baby Powder with Talc Been Recalled in the U.S.?

There has been no recall of the J & J talc-based products and J & J has consistently maintained their talc-based products are perfectly safe. Despite this, the company recently decided to discontinue sales of its talc-based products, in the United States and Canada. The company attributed this decision to the barrage of litigation against J & J which has resulted in a drop in sales.

Have the Statutes of Limitations Passed for My Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer Case?

The statutes of limitations refer to the number of years an individual has in which to file a claim for a dangerous or defective product. These statutes of limitations vary from state to state, but even if you believe your statutes of limitations have passed, it is important to remember the statutes can be impacted by a number of issues. It is important to speak to an experienced baby powder ovarian cancer lawyer who can discuss the statutes of limitations with you.

How Could Consulting with a Boston, Massachusetts Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawyer Be Beneficial?

You may be entitled to monetary damages from Johnson & Johnson if you have been diagnosed with baby powder ovarian cancer after using J & J baby powder with talc or Shower to Shower with talc. An experienced Houston baby powder ovarian cancer lawyer from the firm of Sullo & Sullo can help you determine whether a lawsuit is the right choice for you, after carefully assessing the facts of your case. If you have developed epithelial ovarian cancer after using talcum powder for feminine hygiene purposes, contact Sullo & Sullo.