Plaintiff Amy K. has brought a talc powder lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. She alleges the manufacturers of popular talcum powder products knew about the dangers and risks to women who used them on a regular basis but failed to disclose to the public the possibility of developing cancer.

Amy says that her prolonged exposure to talcum powder in Johnson & Johnson baby powder and Shower to Shower products led to her diagnoses of ovarian cancer.

According to the lawsuit, Amy was born in 1972. She says she used Shower to Shower and Johnson & Johnson baby powder for her entire life. The lawsuit alleges that her recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer was directly related to her use of these talc powder products.

Amy’s lawsuit explains that talc is a magnesium trisilicate that is mined from the earth and is classified as an inorganic mineral. The primary ingredient in the talcum powders produced by Johnson & Johnson is talc.

The lawsuit says that a reasonable and safer alternative to talcum powder has existed for many years: cornstarch powders have been marketed and sold for the same purposes as the talc powder products for years with nearly the same effectiveness. However, the manufacturers of talcum powder have continued to promote their talc-based products, reassuring consumers that they are safe and effective.

In fact, alleges the lawsuit, Johnson & Johnson has gone out of their way to promote their Johnson’s baby powder product as a symbol of cleanliness, purity and freshness while failing to point out the dangers of the development of ovarian cancer.

A growing number of women have had to turn to filing a talc powder lawsuit after receiving a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies have reportedly revealed that there is a connection between usage of these products and a diagnosis of cancer.

The first study pointing out the possible link between ovarian cancer and talc powder use was published in 1971. This was followed by numerous other epidemiologic studies indicating that women who used talc powder on a regular basis on or near their undergarments were at a greater risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Amy alleges that the manufacturers of these products knew about the risks but continued to reap the profits from selling these items without disclosing the possibility that women who used it regularly over the course of years or decades would be at a much higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. This discovery is a shocking one after decades of use of products the consumers believed to be safe, according to those who have filed legal claims.

The Talc Powder Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-07136 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.