The alleged correlation between ovarian cancer and baby powder has been in the public’s attention for several years.

It has been reported that Johnson & Johnson may have known about the alleged correlation between ovarian cancer and baby powder which has caused the company to face major litigation backlash.

One of the most recent talcum powder cancer lawsuits was filed by a woman from Pennsylvania, alleging she developed the deadly disease as a result of using the company’s talc based products.

Plaintiff Shirley S. says she used the talcum powder from approximately 1964 to 2013, using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and Shower to Shower powders on a daily basis around her vaginal area.

Personal female hygiene has been a common use for talcum powder for decades, with Johnson & Johnson using specific advertisements and marketing statements that plaintiffs like Shirley say encouraged women to do this.

With statements like “a sprinkle a day keeps the odor away” or words like “clean” and “fresh,” they claim women were led to feel safe to use talcum powder for their personal hygiene.

With these benefits in mind, Shirley  used the talcum powder products on a regular basis and says she was not aware of the alleged correlation between ovarian cancer and baby powder until years after she ceased using it.

According to the talcum powder cancer lawsuit, Shirley was diagnosed with stage IIIB ovarian cancer on Dec. 9, 2016 and had to undergo a number of gynecological treatment procedures. These treatments included a total abdominal hysterectomy, omentectomy, and other invasive procedures necessary to treat the damage done by ovarian cancer.

Shirley opted to file this claim after discovering there could be a correlation between ovarian cancer and baby powder use, based on over a dozen studies and the fact that other female talcum powder users had developed ovarian cancer.

Overview of Ovarian Cancer and Baby Powder Connection

Talc is a soft material that is ground up into a fine powder and is used for a variety of hygienic purposes including diaper rash, because it is good at absorbing moisture.

However, according to the American Cancer Society, it is thought that talc particles can enter the body when the powder is applied this way and can eventually embed themselves into the woman’s ovaries. After several years, the particles may fester and significantly increase the chances of ovarian cancer.

Currently, there have been over a dozen studies indicating a correlation between ovarian cancer and baby powder use. For example, according to this lawsuit, a recent 2013 study found that women faced up to a 30 percent increased risk of ovarian cancer when using talcum powder products.

Even though the alleged correlation between ovarian cancer and baby powder use can be devastating to their customers, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to disclose this information to the public.

Shirley states she would not have used the company’s talcum powder products if she had known about a potentially increased risk of ovarian cancer.

This Ovarian Cancer and Baby Powder Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-01605-NBF, in the U.S. District Court of Western Pennsylvania.