Johnson & Johnson, the pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing giant and the maker of Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower talc powder products, is asking to consolidate baby powder cancer lawsuits in New Jersey.

According to Johnson & Johnson, it would be beneficial to all parties to have the baby powder cancer cases funneled through one judge rather than have them scattered around all the state county courts. The consolidation would reduce duplicative discovery and prevent conflicting rulings. Several plaintiffs agree, and have said they support the coordination of a multi-county litigation.

If the coordination requested by the defendant and supported by the plaintiffs is granted, any lawsuits filed in New Jersey alleging ovarian cancer from talc powder would be automatically transferred to the multi-county litigation. In some cases, this kind of coordination of similar or related cases can lead to settlement negotiations between plaintiffs and defendants.

Talcum powder, what is normally thought of as baby powder, consists of the mineral talc. Allegations of a link between talc powder, including Johnson’s Baby Powder, and ovarian cancer have caused concern among some women who use, or have used, this or similar products.

Plaintiffs assert in these New Jersey cases that studies have shown real evidence of the mineral talc within some ovarian tumors. Despite the results of these studies, which plaintiffs allege should be cause for action, Johnson & Johnson is accused of failing to provide proper warning on its products about the risk of baby powder ovarian cancer associated with its talc products.

For women in the United States, ovarian cancer and similar or related cancers are the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths, according to the National Cancer Institute. There are few early symptoms for ovarian cancer, so this type of cancer is generally not discovered until the later and more dangerous stages of the disease.

This makes ovarian cancer more likely to be fatal, because treatment during more advanced stages of the disease is less effective. The prognosis for ovarian cancer is not as positive in the later stages of the disease.

Some plaintiffs have stated in their lawsuits that had they been aware of the potential danger presented by Johnson’s Baby Powder, they may have avoided ovarian cancer by not purchasing the product, or avoiding the genital area while using the product.

If you or someone you know has used Johnson’s Baby Powder or a similar powder product containing talc and have since been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may be able to file a baby powder cancer lawsuit.