A Louisiana man is filing a talc powder wrongful death lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson on behalf of his wife who allegedly died as a result of baby powder use.

Plaintiff Donald L. has filed a talc powder wrongful death lawsuiton behalf of his wife, Paula L. who died of ovarian cancer. Donald claims that her ovarian cancer was a result of using Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower products.

Paula died on May 3, 2016, and is survived by Donald who is the representative of her estate. Donald alleges Paula used baby powder for her entire life up until she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014.

Donald believes that Johnson & Johnson was negligent in their research, development, testing, manufacture, production, promotion, distribution marketing and sale of talc powder.

He also believes, according to this talc powder wrongful death lawsuit, that Johnson & Johnson knew about the inherent risks associated with their talc powder products, failed to inform the public but instead marketed them anyway as safe for use.

According to Donald’s talc powder wrongful death lawsuit, talc powder is marketed as safe for use on the female genital area.

However, early on, studies have shown that talc powder is connected to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. In 1982, the first epidemiologic study was done on talc powder’s use in the female genital area.

This particular study, according to this talc powder wrongful death lawsuit, found a 92% increased risk of ovarian cancer in women who reported talc powder use in the genital area. The researchers suggested that Johnson & Johnson place a warning on the talcum powder bottles regarding ovarian cancer.

Since that time, at least twenty-two more studies have been done looking at the connection between talc powder and ovarian cancer. Almost all of these studies report this similar elevated risk.

According to this talc powder wrongful death lawsuit and the United States National Toxicology Program, the Cosmetic Toiletry and Fragrance Association formed the Talc Interested Party Task Force. The purpose of the TIPTF was to defend the properties of talc.

However, different agencies have both listed talc as a carcinogen or requested that certain industries refrain from using talc powder including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Cancer Prevention Coalition.

In his talc powder wrongful death lawsuit, Donald is raising claims of negligence, gross negligence, defective manufacturing and design, failure to warn, breach of implied warranties, breach of express warranties, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, civil conspiracy, concert of action, negligent misrepresentation, inadequate warning and unfair and deceptive trade practices.

This Talc Powder Wrongful Death Lawsuit is Case No. 2:17-cv-04548-LMA-JVM, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.