A Montana woman recently filed a lawsuit against a talcum powder company alleging she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer allegedly due to exposure to talc in baby powder.

The plaintiff, Holly J., filed her lawsuit against Imerys Talc, a talcum powder producer, alleging that the company—along with Johnson & Johnson—failed to give adequate warning about the danger associated with talc in baby powder. According to the lawsuit, industry members have known that talc in baby powder is a carcinogenic risk, but have failed to adequately warn consumers about this risk.

Holly alleges that she was first exposed to talc in baby powder from Johnson & Johnson when she was a child. For decades afterward, Holly says she continued using Johnson & Johnson talc powder for feminine hygiene purposes.

Unfortunately, Holly was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2010—which she alleges is a direct result of her exposure to talc in baby powder products she has used all her life. She claims that she was not adequately warned about this risk, although some studies in the last decades have shown a link between talc powder and cancer.

According to the lawsuit, the Canadian government has classified talc as “very toxic” and “cancer causing,” and in the U.S., certain organizations have classified the substance as a possible carcinogen.

“The defendants failed to inform its customers and end users of talc and J&J Baby Powder of a known catastrophic health hazard associated with the use of its products,” argued the suit. “These defendants continue with these marketing and advertising campaigns despite having scientific knowledge that dates back to the 1960s that their products increase the risk of cancer in women when used in the perineal (genital) area.”

Holly’s is not the first lawsuit to be filed over talc in baby powder. Indeed, thousands more have been filed against Johnson & Johnson over this risk. While Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder products have been a popular option for decades, and has been advertised and used as a feminine hygiene product, an ever-growing pile of litigation claims that using the product in this manner may put women in danger of developing ovarian cancer.

Just recently, a New Jersey jury found Johnson & Johnson and Imerys responsible for $30 million in damages against a man who suffered from mesothelioma after talc exposure.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Talc in Baby Powder

Lawsuits allege that Johnson & Johnson failed to give adequate warning about the risk of ovarian cancer linked with exposure to talc in baby powder products, and even misrepresented the safety of the products in its advertising, despite knowledge of the connection between talcum powder and ovarian cancer.

If you or someone you love has used baby powder as part of a regular feminine hygiene routine, and have since been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may be able to file a lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by ovarian cancer, and cannot bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.