A series of legal claims against Johnson & Johnson has drawn attention to scientific research linking talcum powder and ovarian cancer.

In an interview with The Ring of Fire Network, attorney David Haynes reports that J&J continued to market its talcum-based powders despite knowing about research that suggested a link between those products and ovarian cancer.

About 1,200 talcum powder lawsuits have since been filed over whether J&J had a responsibility to warn the public about that risk.

When faced with a decline in sales in the 1990s, the company responded by heavily marketing its talcum powder to Latinos and African-Americans, Haynes says.

At the same time, J&J knew that clinical studies had linked talcum powder and ovarian cancer. In fact, a much more recent study published earlier this year revealed that in African-American women, use of talcum powder in the genital area was linked to a 44 percent increase in the risk of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.

Haynes says other studies have showed that using talcum powder could increase a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 40 percent. He says J&J purposely avoided disclosing the results of those studies to avoid hurting sales.

J&J still insists that the research linking talcum powder and ovarian cancer is flawed. The company cites other studies that purport to find no such link.

The Connection Between Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer

Talc is a mineral that has found widespread use in cosmetics thanks to its soft feel and its ability to absorb moisture. In nature, talc is often found in close proximity to the known carcinogen asbestos. Manufacturers of talc products must take adequate steps to ensure their final products are asbestos-free.

Much of the current wave of talcum powder lawsuits isn’t about asbestos contamination, though. Some scientists theorize that talc itself may cause ovarian cancer. Analysis of some ovarian tumors has revealed particles of talc lodged in the tissue.

Researchers theorize that after application of talcum powder in the genital area, particles of talc may be able to migrate through the vagina, uterus and fallopian tubes to reach the ovaries. Once there, the talc can cause inflammation that may play a role in the development of cancer.

Haynes notes that in terms of legal liability, the problem lies not so much in the link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer but more in the way J&J chose to deal with that risk. By withholding safety information from consumers, Haynes says, J&J kept consumers in the dark about an important health risk.

To date, the company has not added a warning label to the product or taken any other action to warn the public about this risk, Haynes says. Documents uncovered during litigation revealed that in 2006, J&J’s talc supplier started using a warning label, yet J&J still did not add a warning to the labeling for its talcum powder.

According to Haynes, at least two talcum powder lawsuits that went to trial resulted in significant jury awards for the plaintiff, including substantial amounts of punitive damages.

In one case, the jury awarded the plaintiff $72 million, including $62 million in punitive damages. The plaintiff in the second case was awarded $55 million, including $50 million in punitive damages.