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Talcum Powder Lawyer
In numerous studies, talcum powder use has been linked to cancer, but baby powder manufacturers have failed to warn women of this increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Tens of thousands of women are now filing talcum powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson for failing to warn about the risks of using these talc-based products.
The makers of talcum powders knew that their products contained asbestos fibers, which can cause cancer when used near the genitals. At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, our personal injury attorneys are negotiating settlements in talc litigation involving Johnson & Johnson and others selling talcum products.
Contact a dangerous product lawyer at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form today for immediate legal advice and schedule a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team remains private through an attorney-client relationship.
Talcum powder is a staple in many women's hygiene routines. It can be found in baby powders, foot powder, and adult feminine products.
Talc is also used to reduce friction during sex and as an anti-diarrheal agent for infants. However, serious health concerns link talcum powder to ovarian cancers and mesothelioma.
Talc Products Not Yet Banned
While the FDA has not banned or restricted the use of talc in cosmetics, several studies indicate that this mineral may increase your risk of ovarian cancer if you apply it near your genital and peritoneal area regularly (such as when using a scented feminine product).
Some researchers believe that exposure to talc particles increases the likelihood of developing ovarian cancers by up to 40%.
Additionally, one study indicated that women who regularly used talc-based body powder were three times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who did not use any type of body powder.
Johnson & Johnson is the largest producer of talcum powder in the United States. The company has been named in thousands of lawsuits alleging that it knew about the risks associated with talcum powders but failed to warn women.
Talc Litigation for Favorable Compensation
Our talcum powder lawyers represent women and men who have developed cancer after using talcum powders. Our law firm is committed to securing the most favorable compensation for individuals and families harmed by talc powder products.
The cancer lawsuits revolve around the chilling revelation that the regular use of talcum powder causes cancers, specifically ovarian and lung cancers.
Talcum powder product manufacturers have failed to warn of these severe, life-threatening complications. As a result, women who use talcum powders for personal hygiene never knew they were doing something that could cost them their health or life.
Connection Between Talcum and Ovarian Cancer
Thousands of cases have been filed across the United States, alleging that Johnson & Johnson, America's leading baby powder manufacturer, has used talc particles in both its Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder for adults for decades.
For years, Johnson & Johnson withheld scientific studies exposing the link between the use of talcum powder and ovarian and other cancers, even in trace amounts.
This choice not to inform the public has led to jurors awarding the injured with punitive damages and financial payments intended to punish bad corporate behavior. Some cases are pending, and others are actively being tried and settled, with developments continuing.
What You Can Do to Reduce Your Risks
If you are concerned about the potential ovarian cancer risk associated with talcum powders, there are a few things you can do to reduce your exposure:
- Avoid using Johnson & Johnson talc products that contain talcum particles near your genital area
- Do not use body or baby powders that contain talc if you are at high risk for ovarian cancer
- Choose feminine hygiene products labeled as "talc-free" when using the powder in the genital and peritoneal area to absorb moisture and prevent rashes
- Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about using talc powder
Exposure to asbestos and other toxic chemicals in contaminated genital talc-containing products may also increase your risk of cancer.
Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder Lawsuit Lawyers
Were you diagnosed with mesothelioma or ovarian cancer and suspect talc-based baby powder use might be to blame?
If so, our talcum powder attorneys can provide you with the latest information. Our legal team gathered answers to some frequently asked questions about talc, talcum powders, baby and body powder, cancers, and litigation below.
Would you like more information on Johnson's Talcum powder lawsuits? If so, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can help you understand your legal rights and weigh your chances for success if you're considering talcum powder litigation.
Women at Risk for Developing Ovarian Cancer After Using Talc Products
Many of these talc-based products are marketed to women using marketing slogans that actively push perineal talc use to control sweating, moisture, and odor in adult women's bodies, saying, 'you sweat in more places than just your underarms.
Women using talcum powders and talc-based products for personal feminine hygiene are at a heightened risk of developing ovarian cancer or epithelial ovarian cancers if used how it has been marketed.
Talc is a naturally occurring mineral that talc powder manufacturers use in baby products, adult cosmetics, cleaning supplies, and more.
The use of Johnson & Johnson's talcum powders could lead to cancer of the ovaries if used in women's genital areas. Talcum powders can eliminate dampness and lessen friction, so women have used them directly on their skin, underwear, and genital areas to reduce moisture, chafing, and odors.
However, according to the American Cancer Society, research studies reveal that genital powder use near the vagina permits it to enter the body and travel to the ovaries.
Talcum particles may lead to malignancy if contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. Talc frequently occurs in nature with asbestos in various amounts of toxic substances.
Talcum Powder Causes Ovarian Cancer
Starting in the 1970s, studied research found a link between talcum powder particles and asbestos. In the 1971 medical paper "Talc and Carcinoma of the Ovary and Cervix,' researchers reported finding talc remnants deep within cancerous ovarian tumors and non-cancerous ovarian tissue.
As early as 1994, cancer patients' rights organizations explicitly lodged complaints about the talc particle and malignancy connection in genital talc powder products. Mining companies have listed cancer warnings on talc safety data sheets since 2006.
Research shows that talc can also cause lung cancer - specifically, mesothelioma, a lung disease that affects the linings between the torso's organs. Scientists believe the company's talc powder caused the malignancy due to asbestos contamination.
If the talcum powder is inhaled - as it might be for a regular user of baby or body powders - those asbestos particles can be trapped in the lungs.
Despite repeated reassurances that talc in their talcum powders was asbestos-free, there's evidence that cosmetics company Johnson & Johnson - one of the largest producers of talc products - continued finding asbestos in its talcum powder brands but failed to disclose those findings to the public.
Johnson & Johnson Knew of the Risk of Ovarian Cancer from Talcum Powder Use
Internal documentation suggests it knew about the cancer link as early as 1997. Nonetheless, the company continued to sell talc products without warning consumers about increased cancer risks.
Not only did the company keep the product on the market despite the risk of developing ovarian malignancy, but it also tried to play an active role in the debate denying the link between ovarian tissue cancers and using talcum powder.
The Side Effects of Talc and Talcum Powders
The signs and symptoms of ovarian cancers can be subtle or confused with signs of other, less severe illnesses.
There may be few signs of its advancement, especially in the initial stages. However, signs become more apparent as the disease advances, especially after the disease spreads (metastasizes) through the body.
According to the National Cancer Institute, symptoms of malignancy in the ovaries include, but are not limited to:
- Frequent urination
- Appetite loss
- Pelvic pain
- Abdominal pain
- Swelling in the abdomen, pelvis, or adjacent areas of the body
- Fluctuations in bowel habits
- Constipation
- Rapid or significant weight loss
How Ovarian Cancer Is Diagnosed
Physicians who suspect ovarian cancers or cancers of the fallopian tubes will generally confirm their cancer diagnosis by reviewing biopsy material and removing some tissue for close examination.
Suppose you've been diagnosed with ovarian cancer at any disease stage. In that case, you may be offered treatment options, including:
- Chemotherapy
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
Which ones you're offered may depend on your stage of the disease and other health factors like whether cancer has affected the fallopian tubes.
How Ovarian Cancers Are Treated
Surgery is the most chosen treatment for removal of the cancerous tissue, or in some cases, the entire reproductive system. However, how much tissue is removed depends on how the disease has progressed and the patient's age.
Typically, a gynecologic oncologist, a doctor specializing in female reproductive system cancers, performs the surgery.
Ovarian cancer or mesothelioma patients may also be given chemotherapy, where doctors administer mild toxins to prevent cancer cells from growing.
How Talcum Powder Causes Cancer
Yes, multiple medical studies show a connection between cancer and talc powder exposure. Statistically, one in fifty women, or 2%, develop ovarian cancer.
However, studies show heightened risks of ovarian cancer after using talc-based baby powder up to 25% or even 30%.
Talcum powders, an exceptionally fine powder, can be inhaled. The American Cancer Society says it's generally accepted that talc with asbestos can cause lung cancer - specifically, mesothelioma, a rare lung disease caused only by exposure to asbestos.
Any asbestos contaminating talcum powders can be inhaled. Those asbestos particles are so small that they can become trapped in the body and cause irritation that eventually creates ovarian cancer issues or mesothelioma.
Case Studies Correlating Talc Powder with Cancer
Perhaps the most convincing evidence that perineal talc use is related to ovarian cancer was revealed in two case-control studies from 2016, The African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES) and The New England Ovarian Cancer Study.
The study compared nearly 600 African American women with ovarian cancer to over 700 women who weren't afflicted.
African American Cancer Epidemiology Study
This study found that women who had used talc in their genital area were 44% more likely to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer than the control group, increasing their risk from 1.3% to 2%.
A study footnote indicated that women with a respiratory condition like asthma were slightly more elevated at risk. Its authors attribute the increased risk to the body's ability to react and develop inflammation - a condition known to spur malignancy cell growth.
New England Ovarian Cancer Study
The National Institutes of Health funded the study involving over 2,000 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. This group was compared to over 1,500 women who had not been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Women who had used Johnson talc on their genitals or other body areas were about thirty-three percent more likely than non-users to develop ovarian cancers.
The study also found an additional risk factor: Women who were sterilized before menopause (through a hysterectomy or tubal ligation) or who took hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms were more likely to develop cancer than talc powder users alone.
- To date, almost two dozen studies suggest that a relationship exists between Johnson's talcum powder and ovarian cancers.
- There have also been surveys of studies that collect the results from multiple medical studies to see a clear trend within those studies.
The Reasons for a Talcum Powder Lawsuit
People are suing over ovarian cancers and mesothelioma because, for decades, Johnson & Johnson and other talc-containing product makers denied any correlation between malignancy and their products. However, in recent years, a wealth of research has shown a connection.
A talc baby powder lawsuit generally alleges that Johnson & Johnson has known about this link since 1982 but failed to warn customers about the risks. However, Dr. Daniel Cramer, a Harvard epidemiologist, discovered the link between Johnson talcum powder and an increased risk of cancer in a study he conducted in 1982.
When he released the results, Johnson and Johnson contacted him to discuss his observations and evidence. As a result, he suggested taking talc and baby powder products off the market.
FDA Sampling Tests Finds Asbestos-Laced Talcum Powder
In February 2020, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) held a meeting for public awareness on the testing methods used to identify asbestos in cosmetic products and talcum powder. The following month, the federal administration issued updates on their results.
Some of the results show that out of fifty-one samples of talc powder and cosmetic talc products, including blush, nine samples tested positive for asbestos, and forty-three were found to be negative.
Additional talcum powder samplings by the FDA are expected to be conducted throughout the remainder of the year, with results of the test made public expected in early 2021.
According to the American Cancer Society, some studies have shown a potential risk of women developing ovarian cancers.
However, the organization says that there is only minimal scientific evidence of a correlation between Ovarian Cancer and talcum powder.
Status of Lawsuits Filed Against Johnson & Johnson
Baby powder litigation is an active area of federal and state law. Lawsuits alleging a link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer - and manufacturers withheld information about that link - have made headlines, thanks to jury verdicts in the millions and billions of dollars.
According to CNBC, Johnson & Johnson faced roughly 14,000 Shower to Shower and Baby Powder lawsuits as of July 2019, alleging that its baby powder products caused an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer or mesothelioma.
The network says 11,000 of those cases have been consolidated into one case heard as 'multidistrict litigation' in New Jersey federal court. The court ordered talc supplier, Imerys Talc America, to pay $2.5 million in exemplary damages.
There are also individual talcum powder cases that have not been consolidated.
How Johnson & Johnson Is Faring in Cancer Lawsuits
- In July 2019, a supreme court upheld a California jury's award of $417 million to Deborah Giannecchini. The Los Angeles jury found sufficient evidence in her medical records that Johnson & Johnson's baby powder caused her malignancy and ordered hundreds of millions of dollars in punitive damages.
- According to an October 2019 report from the New York Times, Johnson & Johnson has lost at least fourteen talc trials, including one where jurors awarded plaintiffs $4.7 billion. One talcum powder case, Olson v. Brenntag, involved Donna Olson and her husband, who argued that Johnson & Johnson baby powder products caused Olson's mesothelioma after using talc powder. It is a disease caused by exposure to asbestos. A New York jury ultimately awarded the couple $325 million. Unfortunately, Olson was too sick to attend, having been forced to remove one of her lungs.
- In March 2019, Johnson & Johnson reached a series of settlements with mesothelioma victims in three states. The settlements likely avoided additional costs to the company from an Oklahoma, New York, or California talc verdict that leaves plaintiffs with huge awards. For example, in the Oklahoma talcum powder case, the company offered a settlement after the trial while the jury deliberated. A 36-year-old plaintiff argued that she'd gotten ovarian cancer after using the product since childhood. In New York, Johnson & Johnson settled the case a month before trial.
- A California jury recently ordered this company to pay $417 million in damages after it was found that Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn consumers about the potential risks associated with its talc powder products. 'Talc is a mineral that has just been awful for women, and we are really trying to get the word out,' according to a lawyer for the women suing Johnson & Johnson.
Can I Join the Pending Talcum Powder Lawsuits?
Yes, you can join the pending talcum powder civil suits. These talcum powder claims are typically brought against the manufacturers, producers, and distributors of talcum powder products.
In addition, many people have joined talc lawsuits or filed individual cases after being diagnosed with cancer that might have been caused by using talc products.
So far, Johnson & Johnson has been named in almost all talc injury cases. Typically, talcum powder civil suits claim the company did not correctly or adequately warn its consumers of the risk of ovarian cancers or other threats when using its hygiene and cosmetic products.
Interestingly, these class actions were kicked off after an individual in South Dakota won a personal negligence case against Johnson & Johnson using a similar argument.
Many newly filed baby powder lawsuits are a part of class-action lawsuits, where many people who have the same complaint against the same person or company join to pursue that complaint in court.
However, not all plaintiffs filing a claim bring the action. Instead, a group representative prosecutes the case for the good of the entire class against the defendant(s) in 'bellwether' cases.
Whether you should join a class-action talc lawsuit or file a talcum powder suit individually is a question you should discuss with an experienced Chicago talcum powder cancer lawyer.
Some individuals have obtained higher talcum powder lawsuit settlement amounts or $1 million verdicts (jury awards) or more without participating in class action suits.
The Statute of Limitations for a Talcum Powder Cancer Lawsuit
How long you have to file a talcum powder lawsuit depends on your circumstances and where you live. All states have deadlines to sue, which are the statutes of limitations in the law.
The statute prohibits bringing an action many years after your injury, recognizing that evidence and witnesses are harder to find after many years.
Different states have different deadlines for suing, and they may also set different deadlines for various cases.
For example, the rule for talc-related injuries in Chicago, Illinois, that might lead to a talcum powder lawsuit allows you two years to file your claim from the diagnosis.
You Do Not Have to Sue Right After Using Talc Based Products If You Developed Ovarian Cancer
Here, we make a very important point about the statute of limitations after using talcum powder. The time clock begins to run after you have gotten sick. It is critical because all of the plaintiffs have used Johnson & Johnson talc baby powder over the years.
Like any asbestos exposure, the toxins lie dormant in the person's body for years until they are sickened. In a sense, they are like a ticking time bomb that can sicken the patient years later.
You do not have to sue right after you use talc powder. In fact, you cannot sue until you have developed ovarian cancer.
Talcum Powder Attorneys Cost Nothing Upfront
There are no upfront fees to hire a talcum powder attorney to represent you or your family in a talc powder lawsuit. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC handles all Johnson & Johnson baby powder cancer lawsuits on a contingency fee agreement.
This arrangement ensures that we only receive a fee for our services when we successfully recover on your behalf. If we do not win, you owe us nothing. Contact us for a free consultation.
Talcum Powder FAQs
Here are some answers to questions that we are commonly asked about talc powder and its link to cause ovarian cancer and the subsequent lawsuits:
Our Law Firm Is Accepting Talcum Powder Claims on Behalf of Individuals and Families
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC is currently handling talcum powder lawsuits on behalf of women and their families from across the United States.
If you or a loved one has developed ovarian cancer while using Johnson & Johnson's talc-based Baby Powder and Shower to Shower, contact us today for a free case evaluation to learn more about your legal options.
During your free case review, our personal injury law firm can help you determine whether it would be in your best interest to join the class action lawsuit initiated against that company's talc powder distributor or talc supplier or file an individual claim.
Our Chicago-based medical product liability attorneys have decades of experience handling these types of cases and have helped thousands of clients seek compensation. Our services are free if we cannot do the same for you.
Call us today for your risk-free case evaluation, so a talcum powder lawyer can begin to discuss your case. A claim or lawsuit submission must be filed in the appropriate county courthouse before the statute of limitations expires.