A woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer claims her cancer was most likely caused by her use of Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder products. which contain talcum powder. She, along with hundreds of other women, has chosen to file a baby powder cancer lawsuit against the manufacturer.

Although Johnson & Johnson was found guilty of failing to warn about baby powder cancer in this ovarian cancer lawsuit, the plaintiff was not awarded any damages.

Then 49-year-old plaintiff Deane B. originally filed the baby powder cancer lawsuit after being diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer. Upon doing some research, she realized that the only risk factor of ovarian cancer that applied to her was use of talcum powder, an ingredient in Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and Shower to Shower, for feminine hygiene purposes.

There were studies performed as far back as the 1980s that showed a strong connection between ovarian cancer and talcum powder. These studies  did not prove causation finitely, but the trends spoke for themselves.

Deane’s baby powder cancer lawsuit was tried in New Jersey court in 2013. Johnson & Johnson continued to state that talcum powder was not the cause of her ovarian cancer. Deane was not awarded any compensation for medical costs, time lost at work, or the damages caused by chemotherapy that was caused by her baby powder cancer.

This verdict confused both plaintiff and her attorneys. However, a jury member later said that the proof that talcum powder caused this particular case of ovarian cancer was not there. Johnson & Johnson, however, was found at fault for negligence and failure to warn in this same baby powder cancer lawsuit. 

About Baby Powder Cancer

Johnson & Johnson has been accused of marketing their baby powder as a feminine hygiene product, despite the fact that nowhere on the label does it say Shower to Shower or Johnson’s Baby Powder talc power-based product is safe to use in the genital area. The only warning pertains to keeping their product out of the eyes of children.

Millions of women, however, have been using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder or Shower to Shower as part of their feminine hygiene routine for decades without knowing that the products were not approved for that use and that they could be knowingly putting themselves at risk of developing baby powder ovarian cancer.

Talcum powder is a mineral that is used in countless products such as cosmetics, industrial products and paints. It has the ability to remain in the body undetected for years before causing ovarian cancer. Studies have long suggested that use of talcum powder in the genital area increases the risk of ovarian cancer in women. 

Although this baby powder cancer lawsuit had a puzzling conclusion, many other baby powder cancer lawsuits have been filed against the company involving similar allegations as Deane’s case and resulted in damages awards for the plaintiff.