Medical Alert: Baby Powder Linked To Ovarian Cancer... Victims Getting Substantial Compensation

It’s difficult to imagine how baby powder a common, fine, cosmetic powder that brings comfort to babies and adults alike, can be anything but harmless. But a number of lawsuits over the years seem to say the contrary, linking talcum powder to ovarian cancer and pointing at baby powder manufacturers for negligence.

These baby powder lawsuits are backed by studies, and it’s important for talcum powder users, especially women, to understand how the product may be affecting their lives.

Can Baby Powder Cause Cancer?

For more than 40 years now, the medical community has been questioning the effects of talcum powder on women’s reproductive organs. In 1971, a study discovered talc particles in the ovarian tissue of women with ovarian cancer – the first of the more than 20 studies linking talcum powder to cancer. In 2003, after 16 of these studies were analyzed, the analysis found that women were 33% more likely to develop cancer in the ovary if they were using talcum powder.

How could baby powder cause cancer? Research suggests that this might be when talcum powder particles make their way through the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes and into the ovary. Talc is a natural mineral, but when it gets embedded into the ovarian tissue, it may cause inflammation, and as some suggest, cancerous tumors. For now, these hypotheses have yet to be definitively proven.

All in all, the many studies on talcum powder have produced various findings, some reporting increased cancer risk while others finding no increased risk at all. However, medical institutions are acknowledging the possible health risk. For one, the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers the genital use of talc-based powder to be “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

Lawsuits Against Johnson & Johnson Gaining Steam

The link between baby powder and cancer has been the basis for numerous lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson for their Johnson’s Baby Powder and their Shower-to-Shower products.
Most recently, in May 2016, a jury in St. Louis, MO ordered the company to pay $55 million in compensation and punitive damages to a woman who said their powder caused her cancer in the ovary. Another case ended in February 2016 with a $72 million jury award for the plaintiff.

In 2013, one of the more notable lawsuits against the company alleged that Johnson & Johnson knew about the cancer risk its products were posing, but failed to warn consumers about it. According to the lawsuit, as early as 1982, researchers had recommended that the company provide a warning about the risk. But until today, Johnson & Johnson product labels do not indicate any warning about ovarian cancer risk.

These lawsuits are only some of the many million-dollar cases the company is facing. To date, there are more than a thousand claims against Johnson & Johnson in various states in the US, but the company continues to insist that there is insufficient evidence regarding the cancer link.

Other Possible Side Effects Of Baby Powder

Aside from ovarian cancer, other health issues have been associated with talcum powder. Some claim that it triggers respiratory problems such as lung irritation, asthma, and pneumonia, especially among infants. Earlier versions of talcum powder also contained small amounts of asbestos, which has been found to cause lung cancer.

Contact Philip DeBerard Today

If you or a loved one developed ovarian cancer and are considering seeking compensation from Johnson and Johnson (or another talcum powder manufacturer) then you need an experienced personal injury attorney in your corner. Philip DeBerard and his legal team has 30+ years of experience and have successfully handled product liability cases.

Call us today toll-free at 1-888-644-3158 or use our contact form to schedule a free and confidential review of your case.