Amanda Antell  |  April 27, 2015

Category: Consumer News

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Beautiful female hands with the talcum powder isolated on white

In the midst of the talcum powder ovarian cancer litigation movement, many legal experts question when exactly Johnson & Johnson had discovered the alleged correlation. At the same time, plaintiffs want to know why, upon discovery, the company had not provided any warnings of the alleged correlation between the fatal disease and their product.

The two products at the center of the litigation are Johnson & Johnson’s popular talcum powder products: Shower-to-Shower and Johnson’s Baby Powder. Both of these products have been popularly used for personal hygienic reasons by men and women for generations, being a common solution for women suffering from dry skin or yeast infections. However, it has been recently discovered that when talcum powder is applied to a woman’s genital area, the talc particles travel to her fallopian tubes and can lead to the possibility of ovarian cancer.

Overview of Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Association

While the risk is now widely known by the public, medical experts have been suspicious of this link since the 1970s. However, it has been alleged that Johnson & Johnson has known about this problem for decades, due to frequent injury reports and tracking consumer data. Recently, several independent researchers have established a time line between when the risk of ovarian cancer was suspected with talcum powder use, and when Johnson & Johnson had allegedly discovered it:

  • 1893: Johnson & Johnson first develops their talcum Baby Powder, which becomes ultimately popular for its moisture and odor removal abilities. It becomes the company’s most popular product.
  • 1961: A study found that carbon particles similar to talc can enter a woman’s ovaries if applied to her genital area. A later study found that 19 percent of talc was fibrous, similar to asbestos, which raised alert in the medical community.
  • 1971: A more in depth study is performed, observing women who chronically used talcum powder. The study found that in those women who used the talc the powder becomes trapped within the ovaries, potentially causing their severe ovarian and cervical tumors.
  • 1976: Researchers determined that safety standards need to be set for talc, and that talc products should be evaluated for health risks.
  • 1982: Harvard researchers found that women had a 92 percent greater risk of developing ovarian cancer if they use talcum powder for genital hygiene. This was followed by 21 different studies from around the world, each of which found an association between talc and ovarian cancer.
  • 1993: The U.S. National Toxicology Program determined that talc was a carcinogen, regardless of any asbestos relationship.
  • 1994: The Cancer Prevention Coalition (CPC) sent letters of concern to Johnson & Johnson, after reviewing numerous studies. They called for the company to remove their talcum powder products from the market.
  • 1997: Johnson & Johnson officials allegedly released false safety information on their talcum products, despite toxicology experts warning them of the dangers on three different occasions.
  • 2006: World Health Organization (WHO) classified genital use of talc a possible cancer inducer, noting that between 16-52 percent of women use talcum powder for this reason, worldwide.
  • 2008: The Gates Study was conducted, and found that there was definitely a relationship between talcum powder use and ovarian cancer. The chances were higher based on dose levels. The Gates study led officials from the American Cancer Society to finally determine a link between talc and ovarian cancer.
  • 2011: Most recently, Harvard researchers followed up the Gates Study with their own version, finding the same trend. In fact, in the 4,000 women participating in the study, the risk of ovarian cancer was raised by 200 to 300 percent when talcum powder was used in the genital area.

Johnson & Johnson has been aware of the risk of ovarian cancer from when it was first indicated in the 1960s. Despite the numerous warnings from health officials, the company has chosen not to update the labels on their talc products. This inaction has led to severe public scrutiny and legal action, with the first talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuitfiled in October 2013. Since then, numerous women have filed lawsuits, claiming that the company failed to protect them against the side effects of their products, and for failing to warn them against ovarian cancer.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, baby powder cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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Join a Free Baby Powder Cancer Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you used Johnson’s Baby Powder, Shower to Shower, or another talcum powder product and were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may have a legal claim. Family members of loved ones who died of ovarian cancer can also join. Submit your information now for a free case evaluation.

An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.

 

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