Talcum powder, including Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Powder, may increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer when applied regularly for feminine hygiene purposes.

Breaking 08/11/22: J&J will stop selling talc-based baby powder in global markets.

Johnson & Johnson has announced that it will stop selling its talc-based baby powder products in 2023. All global markets will be affected by this decision, meaning the product will disappear off shelves. The corporation will still not admit that talcum powder can cause mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and other similar illnesses. Although, the decision to discontinue this product globally might be interpreted as a belated, unstated acknowledgment of the product’s dangers.

Breaking 2/22/16: J&J ordered to pay $72 million in first trial over talcum powder.

Johnson & Johnson “must pay $72 million to the family of a woman who blamed her fatal ovarian cancer on the company’s talcum powder in the first state-court case over the claims to go to trial.” The St. Louis jury ordered the company to pay $10 million in compensatory damages and $62 million in punitive damages.

Breaking 5/2/16: J&J ordered to pay $55 million in second trial.

A Missouri state court jury has found that Johnson & Johnson must pay $55 million to a woman who claimed the company ignored studies linking its Shower-to-Shower talcum powder to ovarian cancer risks. The plaintiff, Gloria Ristesund, had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2011 after using the talcum powder and was awarded $5 million in compensation and $50 million in punitive damages.

NBC runs a quote from the jury forewoman, Teri Brickey, who said, “She was using a product that she thought was perfectly safe. Had no idea that it might be dangerous. And that that product then had some causation for her cancer.”

Talcum Powder Increases the Risk for Ovarian Cancer

Talc is a naturally occurring mineral, mined from the earth, composed of magnesium, silicon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Chemically, talc is a hydrous magnesium silicate. When talc is ground into a powder form it can absorb moisture.

When talcum powder is applied to the genital (perineum) area, research suggests that talc particles can migrate and travel through the vagina, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Talc can cause inflammation and irritation in healthy tissue, and when chronic, the inflammation can contribute to the development of cancer.

In 1971, a study published by the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found talc particles deeply embedded within ovarian tumor tissue in women with ovarian cancer.

In 1982, Dr. Daniel Cramer and other Harvard researchers found that women had a 92% increased risk for ovarian cancer when regularly using talc as either a dusting powder on the genital area or on sanitary napkins. Women who regularly engaged in both practices had a228% increased risk for ovarian cancer compared to women with neither exposure.

In 1992, a Johns Hopkins study found a 379% increased risk for epithelial ovarian cancer from talc use on sanitary napkins.

In 2008, Massachusetts researchers found that women who regularly used talc were at a 36% increased ovarian cancer risk.

In 2011, Harvard researchers found that genital talcum powder use after bathing was associated with a 27% increased ovarian cancer risk.

In 2013, a study published by Cancer Prevention Research found that genital powder use was associated with a 24% increased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

In December 2015, a study published by the journal, Epidemiology, found that genital talc use was associated with a 33% increased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

The lead author, Dr. Daniel Cramer, noted that “Talc is a good drying agent, but women should know that if it’s used repeatedly, it can get into the vagina and into their upper genital tract. And I think if they knew that, they wouldn’t use it.” Dr. Cramer first reported a link between genital talc and ovarian cancer in 1982.

Johnson & Johnson is currently facing more than 1,200 lawsuits alleging its products have led to ovarian cancer. There is no warning on Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower to Shower Powder that there is an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

If you or a loved one regularly applied Johnson’s Baby Powder, Shower to Shower Powder, or another talc-based powder for feminine hygiene purposes and were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, you may be entitled to acash award and compensation for medical expenses.

Johnson’s^® Baby Powder is a trademark of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.

Shower to Shower^® is a trademark of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. Prior to 2012, it was a trademark of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.

Recoverable Damages in Cancer Claims

Victims in cancer-related claims are entitled to a financial recovery of their damages. While every case is different, these damages generally include:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Costs associated with medications and therapies
• Lost income and lost future earnings
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional injuries
• Other economic and non-economic damages

In cases involving fatal cancers, qualifying family members who file wrongful death and survival actions can recover other types of compensation, including:

• Medical expenses
• Funeral and burial costs
• Lost financial support
• Lost emotional support and lost consortium

In some cases, courts may also award plaintiffs punitive damages. Punitive damages are a class of damages meant to further punish defendants whose conduct rises to an unacceptable standard of negligence, wrongdoing, or impunity. Punitive damages are not awarded in every case, but they are not uncommon in high-stakes and emotionally turbulent cases like those involving cancer diagnoses.

Resources for Victims & Families

• National Cancer Institute Mesothelioma Portal
• American Cancer Society Patient Programs
• CDC Cancer Resource Library