A talcum powder lawsuit has been filed by a woman who says the substance is to blame for her development of ovarian cancer.

Plaintiff Virginia K. says she dusted her perineum with talc products made by defendant Johnson & Johnson from 1995 through November 2015, when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at age 51.

Talc is an organic mineral mined from the earth. It is the main ingredient in talcum powders.

During the years she used the product, she alleges, Johnson & Johnson advertised its “Shower to Shower” powder as safe for women to use all over their bodies. The marketing campaign said, “A sprinkle a day keeps the odor away” and “Your body perspire in more places than just under your arms. Use Shower to Shower to feel dry, fresh and comfortable throughout the day.”

Shower to Shower and Johnson’s Baby Powder contained talc.

Talcum Powder Lawsuit Alleges Dangers Were Known

The talcum powder lawsuit alleges the Defendants knew as far back as 1971 that “the first study was conducted that suggested an association between talc and ovarian cancer.” Researcher W.J. Henderson of Cardiff, Wales reported finding talc particles inside 10 of 13 ovarian tumors when he conducted the 1971 study.

In 1982, Dr. Daniel Cramer found a 92 percent increased risk in ovarian cancer in women who used talc in their genital areas. He alerted Dr. Bruce Semple of Johnson & Johnson and advised Dr. Semple that “Johnson & Johnson should place a warning on its talcum powders about the ovarian cancer risks so that women can make an informed decision about their health.”

To this day, no such warning appears.

Since 1982, more than 27 other studies have reported an increased risk of ovarian cancer in women who use talc powder on their genitals.

In February 2006, the International Association for the Research of Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), declared the perineal use of talc-based powder to be a “Group 2B” human carcinogen. The IARC found an increased risk of ovarian cancer of 30 to 60 percent among genital talc users. The IARC said between 16 and 52 percent of women worldwide were dusting their genital areas with talc-based powders.

The National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society agree that genital talc application is a risk factor for ovarian cancer.

In 1993, the U.S. National Toxicology Program found talc to be a carcinogen.

The talcum powder lawsuit says that in response, Johnson & Johnson joined forces with Imerys Talc and the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association to hire scientists “to perform biased research regarding the safety of talc” and to release “false information about the safety of talc to the consuming public, and used political and economic influence on regulatory bodies regarding talc.”

The talcum powder lawsuit alleges that even though corn starch is and was a known safer alternative to talc, Johnson & Johnson continued to use and promote talc-based powders as safe and effective.

Women such as Virginia say they trusted Johnson & Johnson’s safety assurances that claimed “Shower to Shower can be used all over your body.”

The Talcum Powder Lawsuit is Case No. 1:17-cv-01089-RC in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.