A woman from New York has recently filed a Johnson’s Baby Powder lawsuit, alleging the company failed to warn her against the potential dangers associated with their talcum powder products.

The Johnson’s Baby Powder lawsuit alleges that the company’s talcum powder products had caused the claimant to develop ovarian cancer, compromising her quality of life.

Plaintiff Ascenzia A. alleges that she used the company’s talcum powder products for typical treatment purposes and had no reason to believe she was at risk for serious complications.

Like millions of other women in the United States, Ascenzia says she used the company’s talcum powder products for feminine hygiene purposes and applied it according to product instructions.

For years, Johnson & Johnson has used marketing statements like “a sprinkle a day keeps odor away” and that talcum powder would help women feel “clean” and fresh.” Talc is a soft mineral that is ground up into a powder has historically been used for a variety of hygienic purposes including diaper rash and diaper rash.

Talcum powder was also used for feminine hygiene purposes, with women encouraged to apply the powder to their genital area to reduce odor, wetness, and friction.

However, this use has allegedly caused numerous women to develop ovarian cancer. This was also allegedly the case with Ascenzia, who says she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on May 27, 2014. Ascenzia says she has since undergone chemotherapy, and has been contending with the condition ever since.

According to the Johnson’s Baby Powder lawsuit, Ascenzia had used the products after diagnosis and had only discovered the alleged correlation recently.

Overview of Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Correlation

Talcum powder has been linked to ovarian cancer since the early 1970s, with the first major study published in the 1980s. There have been over a dozen studies linking talcum powder and ovarian cancer, with the results of each study indicating a potential causality relationship.

When talcum powder is applied to the genital area, the talc particles enter the woman’s body and eventually become embedded in the ovaries. After a certain number of years, the talc particles can fester and may develop into ovarian cancer. This is a potentially fatal condition, and the Johnson’s Baby Powder lawsuit says that this risk should be mentioned on the product’s label.

While it is not known why talc particles may cause ovarian cancer, it has been alleged that talc may be similar to asbestos — a known carcinogen. The Johnson’s Baby Powder lawsuit alleges that Johnson & Johnson knew about the alleged correlation for years, but had chosen not to disclose this information.

Furthermore, Johnson & Johnson also had the option of using safer alternatives to talcum powder like cornstarch, alleges the lawsuit, but still aggressively marketed their talc based products.

At all times relevant, Ascenzia says she followed all product instructions and relied on the marketing statements made by Johnson & Johnson. Ascenzia says she did not use the products outside of their intended purpose, and filed this Johnson’s Baby Powder lawsuit alleging negligence.

This Johnson’s Baby Powder Lawsuit is Ascenzia A. v. Johnson & Johnson, Case No. 6:18-cv-06701, in the U.S. District Court of Western New York.