A woman has filed a talcum powder and ovarian cancer lawsuit after she was diagnosed with the disease at age 63.

Plaintiff Janet P. says she used Johnson and Johnson talcum powder products from about 1957 through 2015. She was allegedly diagnosed with ovarian cancer in July 2006.

Janet claims that despite Johnson & Johnson’s advertising that claimed Johnson’s Baby Powder was “clinically proven gentle and mild,” a link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer allegedly has been known for years.

In addition to baby powder, Johnson & Johnson marketed Shower to Shower body powder to women for use all over their bodies.

Both Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder contain talc, an organic mineral mined for Johnson & Johnson by Imerys Talc, previously known as Luzenac America, Inc.

Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer Link

Dr. Daniel Cramer and his research team conducted the first epidemiologic study on talcum powder use in the female genital area back in 1982. He found a 92 percent increased risk of ovarian cancer in women who used talcum powder in their genital area.

Dr. Cramer reportedly was so alarmed by his findings that he approached Johnson & Johnson’s Dr. Bruce Semple and advised Dr. Semple that the label should warn women of the talcum powder and ovarian cancer risk. Dr. Cramer believed women should make informed decisions about their health. No warning label was added.

At least 27 other studies have reported a link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer. In some cases, talc granules have been found inside tumors. Researchers speculate the talc particles enter the fallopian tubes where they cause irritation and inflammation that eventually gives rise to cancer cells.

Janet and many other women claim that Johnson & Johnson and Imerys allegedly worked together to suppress and discredit findings that linked talcum powder and ovarian cancer. The two companies were major players in the Talc Interested Party Task Force (TIPTF), a group that fought against regulation of the talc industry.

Plaintiffs say the TIPTF purportedly paid scientists to promote biased findings and to edit research data before it was submitted to the FDA and other governmental regulatory bodies.

Janet notes that in 1994, the Cancer Prevention Coalition sent a letter to Johnson & Johnson CEO at the time, Ralph Larson, telling him that studies as far back as the 1960s “…show conclusively that the frequent use of talcum powder in the genital area poses a serious health risk of ovarian cancer.”

That letter included data from Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Bernard Harlow who confirmed the risk and said he discouraged the use of talc in the female genital area. The letter asked Johnson & Johnson to withdraw talc powders from the market and to start promoting cornstarch-based powders in place of talc.

At the very least, the letter said, a warning label should be placed on talc powders to let women know of the risk of talcum powder and ovarian cancer.

The letter also made it clear “that 14,000 women a year die from ovarian cancer and that this type of cancer is very difficult to detect and has a low survival rate.”

The Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-02238 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.