Johnson & Johnson faces a lawsuit from a consumer, alleging that their baby powder products can cause talcum powder cancer.

Plaintiff Lisa B. recently filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, alleging that the company’s baby powder can cause talcum powder cancer. Lisa also named Imerys Talc America Inc., the company which allegedly provides talc to Johnson & Johnson.

Lisa alleges she used Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder from June 1999 through August 2011. She later developed talcum powder cancer which she believes to be a direct result of using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder products.

Johnson & Johnson is a company which manufactures and sells products in a variety of different industries. They market their talc-based baby powder as a “symbol of freshness and comfort” which consumers can use to eliminate friction on the skin. The lawsuit alleges that Johnson & Johnson targets women in their advertising by stating “For you, use every day to help feel soft, fresh, and comfortable”.

Lisa argues that Johnson & Johnson conceals the questionable safety of talc-based products. Talc is a mineral which is mined from the earth and used in products. The safety of talc has been highly debated for years, with many experts believing that the mineral can cause talcum powder cancer, especially when applied in the genital area.

In 1982, Dr. Cramer performed the first study of ovarian talcum powder cancer. The study found that use of talcum powder in the genital area increased the risk of ovarian cancer by 92 percent. The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Cramer advised Johnson & Johnson to include a warning on their labeling, which they did not do.

Since Dr. Cramer’s study, there have been 27 studies evaluating the risk of talcum powder cancer. Nearly all of these studies have found that there is a significant risk of talcum powder cancer for women using talc powder in the genital area. Many scientists theorize that talc particles can travel up the female reproductive system into the ovaries, causing cellular damage that leads to ovarian cancer.

Lisa argues that Johnson & Johnson has purposefully concealed the risks of talcum powder cancer associated with their products.

“Defendants, though having knowledge of the increased risk of ovarian cancer associated with genital use of talc based body powder, nevertheless actively marketed the safety of the product to users and failed to inform customers and end users of the products of a known catastrophic health hazard associated with the use of the products,” the lawsuit states.

Lisa accuses the defendants of strict products liability – failure to warn, strict products liability – defective manufacturer and design, breach of warranties, negligence, negligent misrepresentation, fraud, fraudulent concealment, civil conspiracy, and violation of Georgia state consumer protection laws.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, economic damages, punitive damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-09352-FLW-LHG and is part of the Talcum Powder Cancer MDL, In re: Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 3:16-md-02738-FLW-LHG, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.