Products that have talc in them are receiving additional scrutiny after new research showed a possible link between talc and ovarian cancer. Roughly 40 percent of women in the United States claim that they use products that contain talc, like baby powder. Ovarian cancer accounts for 5 percent of total deaths from cancer by women, worldwide.

Specifically, Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower are facing heavy criticism after numerous women have filed ovarian cancer lawsuitsclaiming that they used the powder on their genitals, causing them to develop ovarian cancer. After being labeled a deadly carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), further studies are being conducted to determine if talcum powder particles do indeed travel through the reproductive system to reach the woman’s ovaries, causing ovarian cancer.

Talcum Powder and Risk of Ovarian Cancer

In 1971, an ovarian cancer study published by popular medical journal Cancer Prevention Research showed an increased risk of 41 percent.

In 2013, another study was published by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston that also showed women were at risk, as high as a 25 percent increase in the chance of developing ovarian cancer after using talcum powder products on the genitals. The study analyzed 8,525 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and compared their talcum powder use to that of 9,800 women who stayed cancer-free.

Talcum Powder Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuits

Baby powder cancer lawsuits are not new. In 2013, the first plaintiff victory in a baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuit came after a federal jury found that talcum powder contained in some body-care products of Johnson & Johnson does pose a greater risk to women, and should be noted as such on their labeling.

After about 30 years of using baby powder products for bodily health and hygiene, the plaintiff that brought the baby powder cancer lawsuit was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006, leading her to file an ovarian cancer lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson.

According to the complaint, the risks of talc powder to cause ovarian cancer have been well known by Johnson & Johnson, but the mega-corporation has refused to act, not even adding to its warning label. Had the plaintiff known about the true risks of the baby powder, she said she would have never used Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder products.

Ovarian Cancer Class Action Lawsuits

With the increase in individually filed ovarian cancer lawsuits, there has been greater interest to create an ovarian cancer class action lawsuit. With an ovarian cancer class action lawsuit, a group of affected plaintiffs with similar allegations can come together to file one large lawsuit against a defendant. As such, any settlement achieved is split among the plaintiffs. Ovarian cancer class action lawsuits could be enticing to an individual who does not want to get involved as much.