Johnson & Johnson is facing another product liability claim regarding baby powder and ovarian cancer from a woman alleging the company encouraged her to use the product for feminine hygiene purposes.

Plaintiff Mary L. alleges the company’s marketing statements implied that their talcum based powders were safe for use, and there was no indication of a baby powder and ovarian cancer link mentioned on the product’s label.  Mary alleges that she had used talcum powder for a variety of hygiene purposes, including powdering her genital area, from March 1984 to December 2009.

During this time, she had followed all product instructions and did not deviate from the powder’s intended use, the complaint states. Even with this diligence, Mary had reportedly developed ovarian cancer in November 2009. She had opted to file legal action against Johnson & Johnson after learning the company either knew or should have known about the alleged baby powder and ovarian cancer link.

According to this talcum powder lawsuit, the company’s slogan stated “a sprinkle a day keeps odor away” and used marketing statements like “Shower-to-Shower can be used all over your body.” Mary alleges these advertisements implied that it was safe to use on the woman’s genital area, which was a hygiene purpose the talc product was commonly used for.

However, Mary claims this use ultimately led to the development of ovarian cancer for many women, as the public was unaware of the potential health risks associated with talc.

Overview of Baby Powder and Ovarian Cancer Link

The possibility of a link between baby powder and ovarian cancer was noticed in 1971, when a study indicating the association was conducted by Dr. W.J. Henderson and associates in Cardiff, Wales.

A second study nearly confirmed the risk in 1982, when Dr. Daniel Cramer and his associates found a 92% increased risk of ovarian cancer when using talcum powder. Since 1982, there have been over 27 scientist inquiries observing the potential link between baby powder and ovarian cancer.

One of the most recent studies was published in 2013 by Cancer Prevention Research, which showed women faced up to a 30% increased risk of ovarian cancer when applying talcum powder to their genital area. When talcum powder is applied to the woman’s genital area, the talc particles may travel through the woman’s reproductive system and eventually settle into the woman’s ovaries.

Eventually these particles fester, and the chances of ovarian cancer are raised significantly. Even though ovarian cancer is a potentially deadly complication for women, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to warn against this correlation.

Mary states that she would never have used the product if she had known about the possible correlation between baby powder and ovarian cancer.

This Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-01025, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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