The number of lawsuits filed against the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson by women suffering from ovarian cancer is on the rise. These suits, often referred to as baby powder cancer lawsuits, claim Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers of the dangerous health risks associated with talcum powder, an ingredient used in Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder products.

In October of 2013, a 56-year-old woman in South Dakota won a baby powder cancer lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. The woman used Johnson’s Shower to Shower body powder for decades and was eventually diagnosed with ovarian cancer. During the trial, Dr. Daniel Cramer, a professor at Harvard University, suggested that based on 30 years of research, he believed talcum powder could cause as many as 10,000 cases of ovarian cancer every year. The jury in this baby powder cancer lawsuit determined there was sufficient evidence to link Johnson & Johnson’s Shower to Shower body powder to the woman’s ovarian cancer.

Many more women have filed baby powder lawsuits across the country since the South Dakota victory. These women want to force Johnson & Johnson to inform consumers of the various potential health risks associated with using talc-based products, such as Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder. The women also seek compensation for their injuries.

Baby Powder Danger

The mineral talc has been used as a body powder since as early as the late 1800’s. Many women use the powder after showering for feminine hygiene purposes, primarily to control odor and moisture.

Since the 1960’s, multiple studies have been performed, exploring the link between talc and ovarian cancer. Researchers warn against the use of talcum powder for feminine hygiene purposes. They have found that when talcum powders, like Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder, are applied to the exterior of a woman’s genitals, there is a potential for small talcum particles to migrate and become embedded in a woman’s ovaries or pelvis. The embedded particles cause inflammation and create an environment where cancer cells thrive.
Some researchers compare talcum particles to asbestos, a fibrous mineral known to cause mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer. Like asbestos, the talc particles can last inside the body for years.

The American Cancer Society and the International Agency for Research on Cancer recommend using corn starch based powders for feminine hygiene purposes in place of products containing talc. The World Health Organization (WHO) went so far as to classify talc as “possibly carcinogenic,” or cancer causing.

Baby powder lawsuits being filed by women across the nation claim that in spite of these documented studies, companies like Johnson & Johnson continued to promote products such as Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder without informing consumers of the potential risks. Plaintiffs bringing suit against these companies include not only women diagnosed with ovarian cancer allegedly caused by the use of talcum powders, but also family members who have lost loved ones to the disease.