A woman has filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson alleging that the company’s talcum powder products caused her to develop ovarian cancer.

Plaintiff Mary Ann M. filed a baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson stating that her regular and prolonged exposure to Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products led to her personal injury.

Mary Ann asserts that she used the products that led to her ovarian cancer for nearly her entire life, and she was born in 1936. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in November 2015 after having a tumor removed.

Many women like Mary Ann use talcum powder products to eliminate excess wetness, keep their skin dry and eliminate friction on the skin. However, scientific studies of women who used talcum powder products in their genital area on a regular basis found a possible link between their personal hygiene routine and the development of their ovarian cancer.

The baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuit states that as far back as 1971, studies showed an association between ovarian cancer and the use of talcum powder products. There have been nearly two dozen studies over the last several decades finding an association between the use of talcum powder products and ovarian cancer.

According to a number of different public health agencies, talc is considered a possible human carcinogen. Despite this classification, the lawsuit states that Johnson & Johnson continued to use talcum powder in its products and never mentioned the association between ovarian cancer and talcum powder products on any product labels.

Talc is a naturally-occurring mineral that is produced by mining. Much like asbestos, another naturally-occurring substance that can cause cancer, talc can still do great damage to women, according to a number of lawsuits claiming a baby powder ovarian cancer link.

The baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuit states, “At the time defendants manufactured, marketed, labeled, promoted, distributed and/or sold the products, the Johnson & Johnson defendants knew of the uses for which the products were intended, including use by women in the perineal area, and impliedly warranted the products to be of merchantable quality and safe for such use.”

As a result of developing ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products, Mary Ann raised the following counts against the defendant: failure to warn, strict liability for design and/or manufacturing defect, negligence, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranties, punitive damages, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, intentional misrepresentation, violation of the UCL, restitution or disgorgement based on unjust enrichment, and false advertising law.

The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages, economic damages and noneconomic losses, punitive and/or exemplary damages, a cease and desist order, pre-and post-judgment interest, attorneys’ fees and costs and any additional relief deemed just and proper by the Court.

The Baby Powder Ovarian Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 5:17-cv-02306-JBG-SP, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.