A new lawsuit hold the maker of talcum powder products, Johnson & Johnson responsible for the death of a Georgia woman.

Annie Mae S. died of ovarian cancer that developed as a result of using talcum powder products, says a lawsuit filed by her estate administrator.

For more than 70 years, Annie Mae purchased and applied talcum powder products to her perineal area for feminine hygiene reasons.

Annie Mae was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer on Sept. 13, 2014.

The lawsuit says she “suffered excruciating pain and suffering associated with the development of her cancer and up until the time of her death on October 4, 2014.”

Since as early as 1893, Johnson & Johnson has manufactured and marketed talcum powder products such as Johnson’s Baby Powder as safe and gentle for use on babies and women.

Talc was found to be a carcinogen by the United States National Toxicology Program in 1993.

The lawsuit states, “At all relevant times, cornstarch, which is a safer, feasible alternative to talcum powder products, existed. Cornstarch is an organic carbohydrate that is quickly broken down by the body with no known adverse health effects. Cornstarch powders have been sold and marketed for the same uses, by J&J Defendants and others, with the same effectiveness as the talcum powder products.”

Johnson & Johnson Promotes Talc as Safe, Effective

In the 1960s and 1970s, Johnson & Johnson baby powder was advertised to absorb “excess wetness” to keep skin dry and comfortable. In marketing directed at women, the bottle stated, “For you, use every day to help feel soft, fresh, and comfortable.”

During the same period of time, the defendants introduced Shower to Shower, another talc-based powder marketed to women, who were encouraged to use it all over their bodies, including the perineal regions.

Studies Link Talcum Powder Products, Cancer Risk

Several studies have shown an association between talc and ovarian cancer.

In 1971, Dr. W.J. Henderson led a team that conducted the first study that suggested a link between talc products and ovarian cancer. They found talc particles embedded in ovarian and cervical tumors.

In 1982, Dr. Daniel Cramer published a study that showed women who used talc products on their perineal regions showed a 92 percent increase in ovarian cancer.

With this evidence in hand, Dr. Cramer approached Johnson & Johnson, advising the company to place a warning on talcum powders so that women could make informed decisions on the risks before purchasing the products.

Dr. Cramer released another case-control study of more than 4,000 women in 2011. The National Cancer Institute funded the study, which found a 200 to 300 percent increased risk of ovarian cancer among women who powdered their perineal areas with talc-based powders.

In regards to his study, Dr. Cramer said, “I have always advised gynecologists, if they examine a woman and see that she is using talc in the vaginal area, tell her to stop… There are alternatives. This study strongly reinforces that advice.”

According to the Annie Mae lawsuit, “Since 1982, there have been well over 20 studies, meta-analyses, reports and publications by doctors and scientists throughout the world, the majority of which show a statistically significant increased risk of ovarian cancer with the use of talcum powder in the perineum.”

The Talcum Powder Products Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-03652 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division.