Kim Gale  |  April 22, 2020

Category: Cancer

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Mother holds baby powder bottle with infant in background

A growing number of people are asking whether or not talcum powder has asbestos in it. As some individuals who have used talcum powder over the course of their life for hygiene purposes have been diagnosed with cancer, consumers are concerned that talcum powder might contain asbestos.

Most people who file an asbestos lawsuit after being diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma are those who worked in occupations in which asbestos fibers could have been released into the atmosphere or brought home on the worker’s clothes. However, some consumers claim that asbestos fibers might be found in their own home when anyone uses talc powder for personal hygiene reasons.

There have been many research studies in an effort to discover whether or not talc powder is dangerous. Makers of the baby body powder, though, argue that the product does not cause serious health effects.

Is Asbestos Really Dangerous?

Asbestos is associated with a number of serious possible health effects, depending on the person’s overall medical profile and the severity of their exposure.

Johnson & Johnson was recently hit by a $29.4 million jury verdict in a talcum powder case based on a woman’s claims that her mesothelioma was connected with her ongoing use of talcum powder. That jury award was only for compensatory damages and the jury opted not to award punitive damages in that case.

Around 14,000 cases are currently in the legal system, arguing that Johnson & Johnson should have been aware that talc could ultimately cause cancer. Some of these legal claims involve allegations that talc is contaminated with asbestos and that continuous and regular exposure to it could cause a person to develop cancer years into the future.

This most recent case with a jury award is one of many that connects cancers with the use of asbestos and is causing other consumers to ask whether or not talcum powder has asbestos in it.

According to documents collected and revealed by Reuters and the Daily Mail, Johnson & Johnson had internal knowledge that their talcum products sometimes tested positive for traces of asbestos for decades, going back to the 1960s and the 1970s. Johnson & Johnson was actually subpoenaed for information on their knowledge of this.

Consumers Fight Back After Getting a Cancer Diagnosis

Johnson & Johnson is the world’s largest health care company but has come under fire in recent years as numerous people have argued that they have developed cancer while using talc products that they believed to be benign.

The company has continued to defend its product as safe for use with the public despite the fact that research and lawsuits argue the contrary, saying that the company should have done more to warn users about the dangers of continuous exposure to talcum powder.

Sign says Asbestos DangerMany of these users argue that they might not have ever used the product if they knew about asbestos being a potential contaminant. Exposure to asbestos might not cause immediate medical concerns, but diseases such as mesothelioma have a long latency period, meaning that it can be years or even decades after the patient has come into contact with asbestos before it manifests as a medical condition.

In response to the ever-growing litigation, Johnson & Johnson maintains that its baby powder products do not contain asbestos and don’t pose a risk of cancer.

“Johnson & Johnson remains confident that its products do not contain asbestos and do not cause ovarian cancer and intends to pursue all available appellate remedies,” said spokesperson Carol Goodrich in a statement, NPR reports, responding to a recent decision by a St. Louis jury to award nearly $4.7 billion in damages to a group of 22 women and families who filed baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuits. According to these lawsuits, the plaintiffs were not adequately warned about the cancer risks associated with the baby powder products.

FDA Alleges Test Found Asbestos in Talcum Powder

In October 2019, the FDA said it had found asbestos in a sample of Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder. After that announcement, at least 33,000 bottles of the talcum powder were recalled.

Johnson & Johnson said it performed 15 tests on the same bottle, and they were not able to find any evidence of asbestos.

Johnson & Johnson said an additional 48 tests completed on samples from the recalled lot of baby powder found no asbestos. The company said it used two different third-party labs.

However, three samples originally tested positive for asbestos, but Johnson & Johnson said the lab determined the samples were contaminated by a portable air conditioning unit that had been brought into the room, according to a report in the New York Times.

“This finding underscores the importance of investigating any positive test result,” said Johnson & Johnson. “Even when careful safeguards are followed, asbestos contamination may be introduced during sample division, storage, preparation and analysis.”

The FDA responded to the allegations that outside sources of asbestos could contaminate any test, including the tests they conducted. An FDA spokesperson told the New York Times that they followed protocol for lab analysis and saw “no indication of cross-contamination.”

The FDA reportedly stands by its test results.

In December 2018, Reuters released an investigative report that found internal memos within the Johnson & Johnson upper management that dated as far back as 1957 indicated the company was told their talc was contaminated with tremolite, a type of asbestos that looks like needles. During those years, Johnson & Johnson’s talc supply was from Italy.

Filing a Baby Powder Cancer Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after the regular use of baby powder products from Johnson & Johnson, you may be able to join the growing pile of litigation against the pharmaceutical giant and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by cancer, nor can it bring a loved one back to life, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be overwhelming, especially after a cancer diagnosis, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork by connecting you with an experienced attorney. A lawyer can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, baby powder cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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Get Help – It’s Free

Join a Free Baby Powder Cancer Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you used Johnson’s Baby Powder, Shower to Shower, or another talcum powder product and were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may have a legal claim. Family members of loved ones who died of ovarian cancer can also join. Submit your information now for a free case evaluation.

An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.

PLEASE NOTE: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client or getting you dropped as a client.

 

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.