The third lawsuit seeking to hold Johnson & Johnson accountable for concealing the ovarian cancer risks of its feminine hygiene products containing talcum powder has begun. A Missouri state court jury heard the opening statements on October 4, 2016. The plaintiff, who used talcum powder products on her genitals throughout her adulthood, was diagnosed in 2012 with ovarian cancer and now suffers from Stage IV ovarian cancer. The suit states that Johnson & Johnson were aware that talcum particles from their hygiene products could reach women’s ovaries and cause ovarian cancer but continued to make and market Shower to Shower Absorbent Body Powder® for genital use. In so doing, Johnson & Johnson protected their products’ popularity and profitability while gravely endangering their customers’ health.
Talc is a natural mineral that is mined and then crushed into white powder for various uses. Talc’s microscopic particulates are known to cause cancer when inhaled and, unfortunately, they also increase women’s risk of ovarian cancer when applied externally. When the powder is used as a personal hygiene product, as in the case of Shower to Shower Absorbent Body Powder®, the talc particles travel up to the user’s ovaries and cultivate ovarian cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization, has classified the genital use of talcum-based body power as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” More recent studies have confirmed that Talc substantially increases the risk of ovarian cancer, up to 33%.
Court records show that Johnson & Johnson has known about the dangers of using talcum powder in this manner for over four decades. Despite this fact, they continued to fraudulently and negligently market Shower to Shower Absorbent Body Powder® for genital (perineal) use, increasing ovarian cancer risk for their customers. The Courtroom View Network reports that there are currently over 1,200 similar cases pending in the United States (cvn.com). Two previous talcum powder and ovarian cancer-related cases have resulted in verdicts of $72 million and $55 million. The Miller Firm has filed cases nationwide and is aggressively pursuing justice for victims of Johnson & Johnson’s deception about the life-threatening dangers of the genital use of talcum powder.
The Miller Firm is presently accepting clients who developed ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder. If this has happened to you or a loved one, please visit our Talcum Powder Lawsuit page to request a free consultation. You can also call us at 1-800-882-2525.
