TALCUM POWDER LAWSUIT CLAIMS

TALCUM POWDER LAWSUIT ATTORNEYS

Have you or a family member developed Ovarian Cancer after using baby powder?

You may be entitled to significant compensation.

When we buy daily products for our homes, we put our faith in manufacturers. We assume these products were tested and proven safe for families to use.

So when allegations that essential bathroom products such as talcum powder can lead to ovarian cancer, and manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson knew of this cancer risk decades ago yet failed to alert consumers, that is an insult to the American people. Worse, Johnson & Johnson has mainly targeted its talcum products at African American women in promotional campaigns and internal memos inside the company. Sadly, this led to African American consumers using talcum powder at higher rates. In 2015, a Los Angeles-based case-control study found that 44% of African American women reported using talcum powder, compared with 30% of white women and 29% of Hispanic women, according to Reuters.

Another recent study, which interviewed African American women with ovarian cancer, found that 63 percent of women who had ovarian cancer reported using talcum powder to clean their bodies. Johnson & Johnson is said to know about their product’s cancer risks, yet still, the company promotes talcum powder as a safer product for women. If you or someone you love has developed ovarian cancer from using talcum powder, a trial attorney from our network can help you seek compensation for your injuries and hold the manufacturer accountable for its alleged deception and negligence. Talc, a soft clay mineral used in baby powders and other cosmetic items, is combined with scent to create talcum powder. Because talcum powder absorbs moisture, women frequently use it to remove odors.

Manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson advertised their talcum powder products as being used exclusively for female hygiene. Consequently, many women regularly use this product around the genital areas to keep them smelling cool. However, the suspected link of talcum powder to cancer has been the subject of over 20 studies since 1971. An analysis of those studies found that women who used talcum powder in the genital areas were 33% more likely to get ovarian cancer. Worse, Johnson & Johnson is said to be aware of this risk for ovarian cancer, yet failed to warn consumers using the product. Consumers were never warned about this possibly dangerous product other than a statement on the product label saying that Johnson & Johnson’s talcum products are for external use only.

But why is it believed talcum powder is dangerous? When talcum powder is applied to the vaginal regions, scientists believe the talc mineral may move to the ovaries and embed itself in the tissue. The body has trouble flushing out fine particles such as talc. Over a period of years, this mineral from talc causes tissue inflammation, leading to cancerous tumors of the ovaries. If you or someone you love has used talcum powder in the past, you should watch out for symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Unfortunately, ovarian cancer is hard to find, particularly early on in the course of cancer. However, according to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, there are signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer that women diagnosed with the disease found. If you suspect that you have symptoms of ovarian cancer that could be related to your talcum powder use, see a health care professional immediately—numerous lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson for talcum powder and its links to ovarian cancer.

In 2013, a jury found Johnson & Johnson should have warned women of the risks of developing ovarian cancer if they used talcum powder for female hygiene. Since then, many women and their families have come forward, saying that the company’s talcum powder caused them to develop ovarian cancer, with some cases being fatal. For example, in February 2016, Jacqueline Fox’s family was awarded $72 million after a jury found her daily use of talcum powder for the past 35 years was responsible for her fatal ovarian cancer. And in October 2016, a jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $70 million to Deborah Giannecchini after finding the company’s negligence contributed to the woman’s ovarian cancer.

Only a few women and families successfully took on Johnson & Johnson and sued them over alleged negligence. Currently, a class-action suit against the company (and other manufacturers) is underway in the form of the Consolidated Multidistrict Litigation, and tens of thousands of plaintiffs are waiting for a favorable result. While J&J has agreed to settle approximately a thousand of these cases (the weaker ones, in which victims want the check from a settlement as quickly as possible), you should speak to a class action attorney about your case. Many expect large payments from J&J, but your lawyer can counsel you about the best action if you have strong evidence that using talcum powder caused your ovarian cancer.

Suppose you or someone you love has developed ovarian cancer from using any of the Johnson & Johnson talcum powder line products. In that case, our knowledgeable litigation attorneys want to hear from you. Contact us today to get a free evaluation of your case.

Frequently Asked Questions About Talcum Powder

Talcum powder causes cancer and has been a primary concern in many studies dating back to the 1960s when people discovered many talc deposits were near ore with asbestos. So for years, people have been concerned about talcum powder and other talc-based cosmetics and if they can cause cancer, mainly if used around the genital areas.

Does talcum powder cause ovarian cancer?

Since 1982, more than 30 scientific papers have been published that suggest talcum powder, which does indeed contain talc, rather than cornstarch, may result in a substantially increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Talcum powder has not been studied in depth or proven to be linked with any other cancers other than ovarian and lung cancers, and more studies are needed to look at the other cancers. While cancer patients have filed thousands of lawsuits against companies using talc in products, it is important to note that scientific studies have not definitively found cause and effect.

The American Cancer Society does admit its been suggested talc, such as body or baby powder, may lead to ovarian cancer if talc comes into direct contact with the genital areas. What Official Health Organizations Say According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), talc-based powders are generally non-carcinogenic. Many of these powdered products that were traditionally made with talc are now using cornstarch or baking soda in place of talcum powder in their infant products, as well as in other cosmetic powders, like deodorant, and the American Cancer Society is now listing talcum powder as a risk factor in developing ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest types of cancers in women. A 2016 study led by Dr. Daniel Kramer suggests women who dust the genital area regularly with talcum powder are at a 33% higher risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to women who do not use powdered products.

There have been several studies examining talcum powder and its potential for causing ovarian tumors.3-5 These studies are not conclusive, but they do suggest that talc, asbestos, or both can trigger these tumors from exposure in the vagina.4 These studies attributed asbestos found in the woman’s lesions to exposure from the woman’s partners.

Is it true that talcum powder causes breast cancer?

In May 2010, Cancer Epidemiology published a study finding that women who had ever used talcum powder for genital purposes – particularly postmenopausal women who had used it – had an increased risk of endometrial cancer by 21%. Although the overall association was not observed, the association varied according to menopausal status (p interaction = 0.02), and there was a positive association kept in postmenopausal women; the risk of endometrial cancer was 21 % increased if you had ever used talcum powder (95% CI, 1.02-1.44), and frequent use (at least weekly) was 24 % rose (95 % CI, 1.03-1.48). In our analyses, we found a significant, though moderate, increase in risk for endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women who had a history of use of talcum powder.

After controlling for confounding, lifetime perineal use of talcum powder was associated with a marginally significant 13% increased endometrial cancer risk for all women and a statistically significant 21% increased risk among postmenopausal women (95% CI, 1.02-1.44; Table 2). An analysis in The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health in 2008 revealed that women who use talcum powder have a 35% higher chance of developing ovarian cancer. Older studies had suggested a connection between exposure to asbestos by female workers and the incidence of ovarian cancer ( 8 ), which, along with pathological similarities between malignant pleural mesothelioma and ovarian tumors, and evidence for talc particles found in ovarian tissue (12), led to an inquiry into whether talcum powder increased ovarian cancer risk.

One study suggests that using genital talcum powder might slightly increase the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancers in women past menopause. Although the use of talcum powder for peripartum purposes is widespread in adults–as many as 40% of American women use talcum powder to manage their feminine hygiene (13, 14)–more studies are needed to evaluate other possible health effects.

Over the years, countless women have used talc for feminine personal care. However, they are now learning that talc-based infant powder can lead to uterine cancer, mesothelioma, and other forms of cancer. For decades, allegations have been made that Johnson & Johnson knew Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder could contain asbestos, which causes cancer, and failed to inform or safeguard customers about possible dangers for ovarian, mesothelioma, and uterine cancer. Deane Berg is the first of thousands of women with ovarian cancer to sue consumer products giant Johnson & Johnson, alleging that the baby powder caused ovarian cancer. She points to the long track record of studies linking talc with the disease.

Thousands of lawsuits over talcum powder are being filed against Johnson & Johnson, alleging it failed to warn women about the risks of developing reproductive cancers due to using Johnson & Johnson’s popular talcum-based powders (Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower). In addition, some women are filing lawsuits against baby powder manufacturers, alleging that talc causes cervical cancer. In addition, research and multiple cases link talcum powder with ovarian cancer and asbestos-contaminated talc with mesothelioma. Still, some studies have also found that the mineral can raise the risk for other cancers and respiratory problems.

The American Cancer Society has said there are no reported risks of lung cancer among people using talc-based beauty products, like baby powder. However, the American Cancer Society, World Health Organization (WHO), and others have acknowledged the connection between women’s use of talc products and the increased risk of developing reproductive cancers, such as those in the uterus and ovaries. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, research suggests a connection between talc use and a higher risk of lung cancer. In addition, according to federal investigations, lung cancer is also higher for people employed in the talc industry.

The NIOSH discovered that talc workers had twice the population’s rate of lung cancer in 1995 research. When researchers combined results from similar studies involving almost 20,000 women, they found that using talc was associated with a 24% increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, a rare but frequently deadly condition. After 12 years, researchers found no link between powder use and cancer. Since 1971, several studies have linked genital powders with ovarian cancer, including one earlier this month linking the genital use of powders to a 44% increased risk of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer in African American women.

At least weekly use by women past menopause increases the risk by 24 percent. According to the American Cancer Society, this is the only study that has shown a link between talc and uterine cancer. Other studies have found no connection between powder and uterine cancer. In 1982, the journal of cancer study found that women who used talc, either as a powder for powdering their perineum or as a powder for their pads, were 1.92 times as likely to get ovarian cancer (or 92%). Since 1982, at least 21 epidemiological studies have suggested that dusting talc close to a woman’s genitals, known as perineal dusting, may increase her risk of developing ovarian cancer.

For example, a 2011 study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found a slightly increased risk of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women who used talcum powder around their genitals. Talcum powder products were associated with 24% higher endometrial cancer risk when used for genital hygiene among women after menopause. Any inflammation initiated from applying talcum powder to the genitals is likely to be sustained. Studies have shown that women use talcum powder early in life and have used it continuously for decades.

The problem is significant manufacturers of talcum powder products–Johnson’s baby powder, for example, and Shower-to-Shower–have continued marketing their products to adult women with no warnings of cancer risks. Moreover, since studies began showing links between talc and cancer in the 1990s, federal officials have taken no action to eliminate talcum powders or add warning labels. As a result, Johnson & Johnson lawyers have said that Missouri woman Vickie Forrest’s case was most likely caused by endometriosis rather than the talc or the asbestos within the talc.

Is talcum powder linked to mesothelioma?

Talc has been identified as the cause of mesotheliomas among talc miners in New York.31 In the past few years, over 10 women developed mesotheliomas, with their sole source of asbestos exposure being the use of a single brand of talcum powder. Several scientific studies show that mining and milling of asbestos-contaminated talc cause asbestos-related diseases and talcosis, a lung disorder that is similar to asbestosis and silicosis. When talc is mined close to asbestos, the possibility exists of cross-contamination between the two minerals.

In its natural state, talc is frequently found in close proximity to asbestos, a dangerous substance known to cause inflammation and lung cancer. Talcs link to asbestos, which causes cancer One source of concern for talcum powder and cancer is that talc is mined in areas where asbestos, a mineral group found in rocks and soil, is also sometimes present. Talc, a mineral frequently used in cosmetics and personal care products, has been linked to ovarian and uterine cancers as well as mesothelioma. The American Cancer Society clarifies that talc that is contaminated with asbestos is not a concern in cosmetics and home-use products, but instead impacts the workers who mine the talc and others whose occupations put them in contact with natural talc fibers.

Does talcum powder contribute to prostate cancer?

Because it is believed that talcum powder may be responsible for ovarian cancer, concerns have been raised over potential risks that may have been exposed in men using talcum powder. Studies on individual talcum powder use have had mixed results, though some suggest there may be an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Case-control studies report a positive link between asbestos-containing talcum powder and testicular cancer, though evidence linking talcum powder to testicular cancer is less robust than the association with ovarian cancer.

A study published in January 2020 found that cancer expression increased when ovarian cells in a co-culture were exposed to talc. A 2020 analysis of studies that included over 250,000 women from long-term health studies found that there was no statistically significant relationship between the use of talcum powder on the genital areas and ovarian cancer. A research report from February 2020 concluded that there was enough evidence to conclude that exposure to asbestos increases prostate cancer risk.

How much is a talcum powder lawsuit settlement?

In a few talcum powder cancer cases related to pregnancy, the plaintiffs were awarded millions of dollars in settlements to cover their conditions. A massive $100 million settlement was reached in approximately 1,000 ovarian cancer cases between the defendant Johnson & Johnson and plaintiffs’ lawyers over the talcum powder.

A verdict in California awarded a talcum claimant $26.5 million in August, but this win was abruptly followed by a string of 3 more talcum powder trials, which ended with defense verdicts for Johnson & Johnson. The first lawsuit over the talcum powder was a minor win for the manufacturer. Johnson & Johnson lost its first talcum powder lawsuit in February 2016, when a lady from Alabama who used their baby powder and subsequently had ovarian cancer was awarded $72 million in monetary damages.

Johnson & Johnson is now facing more than 25,000 lawsuits alleging their talcum powder products are contaminated with asbestos, leading regular users to contract diseases like mesothelioma and ovarian cancer. It was filed in Circuit Court for the City of St. Louis alleging they developed ovarian cancer as a result of long-term use of Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products. Unlike the first case, this largest judgment so far is historical in its assertion that asbestos – and not just talc – was responsible for ovarian cancer.

A California Superior Court jury awarded a $4.8 million verdict and determined that asbestos-contaminated talc from the Whittaker supplier used in the Old Spice powder products led to the plaintiff’s diagnosis. The company was ordered to pay $750 million in damages to four users who claimed to have developed mesothelioma due to its talc powder.

Now, the company is facing over 38,000 cases alleging that J&J; talc products caused cancer, having agreed to a $100 million settlement as recently as 2021. Johnson & Johnson surprised the legal community by reaching four separate settlements with the plaintiffs, but it still insists that its talcum products contain no asbestos. In that class-action lawsuit, 22 women suffering from ovarian cancer were awarded $4.7 billion for their illnesses because talcum products they used routinely tested positive for asbestos, and Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers.

In a lawsuit combining four separate cases involving mesothelioma caused by talc, four New Jersey plaintiffs were awarded $37.3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $750 million in punitive damages after the jury determined that their diagnoses were related to the use of Johnson & Johnsons Shower-to-Shower and other talc-containing products. In 2019, a Manhattan plaintiff diagnosed with mesothelioma after using Johnson’s baby powder regularly throughout her life was awarded more than $300 million in compensatory and punitive damages. In 2019, a jury verdict awarded the plaintiff $27.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

This verdict was awarded in July 2018 by a St. Louis, Missouri, jury, but an original $4.7 billion verdict was later reduced to $2.1 billion. In November 2020, a Judge on an appellate panel declined to vacate the entire verdict but did rule that the jury’s award should be reduced to $120 Million. Recent talc & ovarian cancer verdicts $4.69 billion In July 2018, a jury at California Superior Court awarded $4.69 billion in punitive and compensatory damages to 22 women suffering from ovarian cancer.

Johnson & Johnson has filed an appeal in the United States Supreme Court seeking to overturn that verdict for the 22 women, who allege they developed ovarian cancer after using the company’s baby powder products made of talc. As of March 2019, Johnson & Johnson was a defendant in over 13,000 lawsuits claiming that the company’s talcum-based products caused plaintiffs to develop ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. In October 2020, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay approximately $100 million to settle over 1,000 lawsuits that claimed the asbestos contained in Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products was linked to cancer.

In Missouri, the court of appeals rejected Johnson & Johnson’s various arguments and upheld $2 billion in jury awards, Johnson & Johnson announced its first large-scale settlement of the global talcum powder litigation. In 2019, a California jury rendered a decision in favor of the plaintiff, a woman diagnosed with mesothelioma after using Johnson’s baby powder her entire life. In 2018, the Superior Court of Los Angeles awarded $21.7 million to a woman who claimed that 20 years of using the powder led to mesothelioma. In one 2019 suit, a state court in New York ordered pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson to pay $325 million to a woman and her husband, who claimed long-term use of its baby powder caused the woman’s mesothelioma pleural cancer.

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