Baby powder has allegedly been linked to an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. It may come as a shock to many that this seemingly-safe product may be linked to so devastating a disease. But when you look closer, the alleged risk starts to make more sense.

What is Baby Powder?

There are two main types of baby powder. One is based on cornstarch, a plant-based product. The other is sometimes sold as talc or talcum powder. This type of baby powder is the type some claim is linked to cancer.

Talc-based baby powder is processed from the naturally-occurring mineral of the same name. Talc occurs widely on Earth’s surface. It typically occurs as a soft mineral, and can occur in soapstone and other metamorphic rocks. Since it is so soft, it can easily be ground into a dusty powder.

Baby Powder Cancer Link

Talc is a type of mineral called a silicate. This means that it contains the element silicon. These minerals are typically nonreactive, but may cause irritation and even cancer. For example, asbestos is also a naturally-occurring silicate mineral, and can cause mesothelioma and other cancers. Similarly, other silicates have been linked to lung cancer and chronic illnesses.

There are several theories as to how this works. It is suspected that silicates either physically damage DNA or cause chronic inflammation, which some scientists believe can promote cancer.

The potential risk for cancer associated with talc-based baby powder is not just theoretical. Scientist have observed evidence of a link between talc powder and the risk of developing ovarian cancer, particularly when women used baby powder on their genitals.

Since the 1970’s, it has been observed that roughly three-quarters of ovarian tumors had talc powder embedded within the tumor. But this data in and of itself was not necessarily enough to prove that one caused the other. Scientists had to consider the possibility that talc particles might have just been that common in ovarian tissue.

But modern studies with great sophistication have made similar observations regarding the potential link between baby powder and ovarian cancer. For example, a 2013 study published in the June issue of Cancer Prevention Research found that women who used talcum powder on their genitals had a 20 percent to 30 percent higher risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who did not.

Baby Powder Class Action Lawsuits

Talc baby powder class action lawsuits are being filed by patients who have suffered from ovarian cancer alleging that the cancer was caused by talcum powder products such as Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower to Shower, both made by Johnson & Johnson.

A class action lawsuit is a group lawsuit for those who have similar injuries from the same product and believe they are owed similar compensation. All class members in a class action lawsuit will share equally in the settlement, but there is a cap on how much each class member will receive. In an individual baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuit, there is no cap on much a person will receive.

Baby powder ovarian cancer individual lawsuits can also be consolidated into a single multidistrict litigation (MDL), which is very similar to a class action lawsuit. In an MDL, also called a Mass Tort, is several individual lawsuits are organized together under a single judge at the same court. An MDL allows plaintiffs to use one attorney or a group of attorneys to represent them, and all lawsuits are able to use any information garnered through the discovery process making it more efficient for all attorneys involved representing both the plaintiffs and the defendants.