Talcum powder, a component of Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, is being ascribed as the cause of ovarian cancer in women who have used the product in their pelvic area.

Dozens of studies have been completed that allegedly support the connection between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, yet the labels on the products have not been changed to warn the users about ovarian cancer risks.

Johnson & Johnson is now the defendant in at least two class action lawsuits and multiple personal injury lawsuits filed by consumers who say they should have been warned about this potential baby powder danger.

Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits Grow

Plaintiffs all over America accuse Johnson & Johnson of allegedly failing to warn the public about the risks of ovarian cancer after using talc-based products in the genital area for hygienic reasons.

In 2013, a plaintiff alleged that her ovarian cancer was directly caused by using Johnson & Johnson talc-based products such as Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for 30 years. The jury agreed that Johnson & Johnson should have properly warned women using their product but did not find the product’s labels defective.

This plaintiff was the first in a wave of baby powder cancer lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson that have been growing in the past year. Yet allegedly, the company has been informed about the risk of ovarian cancer from talcum powder since 1982.

Previous Studies on Talc Powder Ovarian Cancer Link

Studies on talcum powder and ovarian cancer date all the way back to 1971 when The Lancet, a medical journal, released a study on the subject. In 1982, the risk of getting ovarian cancer while using talcum powder (during ovulation) increased by 92%. Additional studies were completed over the next 30 years.

At the time of the earlier studies, a contaminate called asbestos was sometimes found in talcum powder. Asbestos was known to cause a deadly form of lung cancer known as mesothelioma. Asbestos has been since removed from all products, including Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower.

Yet both the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society continue to see talc powder as a possible source of ovarian cancer when used in the pelvic area. The risk remains, though asbestos has been removed. Some experts claim that talc powder is “chemically similar” to asbestos, suggesting that it can also be dangerous.

How Does Talc Cause Ovarian Cancer?

Talcum particles, when applied to the genital area, can travel through the vagina and to ovaries, remaining for years untouched. These particles can trigger inflammation which encourages cancer cell growth and ovarian tumors.

In 2003, an analysis of many of the previously completed talcum powder/ovarian cancer studies found that 33% of the women who used talc powder on their genitals developed ovarian cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 21,980 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer (from various causes) in the United States in 2014. A meta-analysis states that, “out of 8,524 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, nearly a quarter used baby powder after bathing or showering.”

Johnson & Johnson is being sued for allegedly declining to properly warn users about the potential risk of talcum powder causing ovarian cancer, in spite of the large number of studies supporting this baby powder danger.

A free baby powder class action lawsuit investigation has been launched to help women and their families pursue compensation for their injuries and medical bills. If you or your loved one was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and used a talc powder product such as Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower to Shower, submit your information using the form on this page for a FREE and confidential case evaluation. You may qualify to pursue compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages.