Johnson & Johnson is facing a new ovarian cancer wrongful death lawsuit, from a grieving son alleging the company’s talcum powder products had contributed to his mother’s death.

This ovarian cancer wrongful death lawsuit was filed by a man from New York, who alleges his mother’s life had ended prematurely and she would have lived longer if not for the talcum powder exposure.

Plaintiff Adam M. filed this ovarian cancer wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of his late mother Joyce M., who had reportedly used Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products throughout her life. These talcum powder products were the defedants’ Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower powders, which Joyce allegedly used for their typical intended purposes.

Like millions of other women in the United States, Joyce had used Johnson & Johnson talcum powder products for a variety of hygienic uses, including personal feminine hygiene. For this purpose, women were allegedly encouraged to apply talcum powder to their genital area.

Adam alleges Johnson & Johnson heavily promoted this particular use of its talcum powder. Johnson & Johnson would reportedly use marketing statements like “clean and fresh” or “a sprinkle a day keeps the odor away” to encourage women to use talcum powder for feminine hygiene.

During this advertising campaign, Johnson & Johnson made no mention of serious side effects or risks and gave women the impression it was safe to use.

Overview of Ovarian Cancer Wrongful Death Lawsuit

According to the ovarian wrongful death lawsuit, Joyce’s use of the product was no different. She allegedly used talcum powder from the 1960s until Aug. 31, 2016. Joyce reportedly applied the talcum powder products according to instructions and did not use them outside of their intended purpose.

However, Joyce was reportedly diagnosed with ovarian cancer in August 2016. She underwent several serious medical procedures including an omentectomy, colectomy and epiploectomy. Joyce eventually died from ovarian cancer, with Adam filing legal action soon after discovering the alleged correlation between talcum powder and the disease.

Studies Linking Talc and Ovarian Cancer

Ever since the 1970s, scientists had speculated that talc presented a serious risk of cancer to consumers. The first major study to observe this alleged correlation was published in 1982, with research led by Dr. Daniel Cramer. The study found that women faced a 92 percent increased risk of ovarian cancer when exposed to talcum powder.

There have been over a dozen other studies that have found similar results, which increased the concern surrounding the alleged correlation between baby powder and ovarian cancer.

Researchers believe that when talcum powder is applied to the woman’s genital area, the talc particles can enter the body and eventually embed themselves in their ovaries. After a certain number of years, the talc particles may fester into ovarian cancer and can be potentially fatal if not treated promptly.

Even though this correlation is potentially devastating to consumers, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to disclose this information to the public. Adam states his mother would not have agreed to use talcum powder if she had been aware of the potential risk of ovarian cancer.

Adam’s wrongful death lawsuit is seeking a multitude of damages including negligence and failure to warn. His Ovarian Cancer Wrongful Death Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-04938-SJF-ARL, in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York.