Talcum Powder Lawsuits Result in Two Winning Verdicts for Plaintiffs

Posted By Law Offices of Joel Parker || 4-May-2016

Talcum powder, commonly marketed as baby powder, has been under high scrutiny for decades after it was discovered to have a possible link to increasing a woman’s chances of contracting ovarian or fallopian tube cancer in the 1970s. After recent scientific studies all but confirmed the carcinogenic properties of talc, the soft mineral used as a base for talcum powder, when used as a feminine hygiene product over the course of several years, more than a thousand lawsuits were filed against multiple pharmaceutical companies. In particular, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is being taken to court, and not faring well.

An initial case against J&J determined that talcum powder was the cause of a woman’s ovarian cancer but the company was not held liable for any damages. But recently, in February and March of 2016, J&J lost two consecutive court cases based on similar complaints. One rewarded a woman’s family $72M after she passed away from ovarian cancer, and another awarded a woman $55M after her ovarian cancer diagnosis. The cases claimed that the talc powder products were marketed and advertised consistently as safe feminine hygiene products, even after evidence started to arise that suggested otherwise.

Will Talcum Powder Be Rebranded?

With the evidence seemingly piling up against Johnson & Johnson and other manufacturers of baby powder, one might suspect that the product has run its course and will be discontinued, or at least rebranded. But loopholes and legalities could keep talc powder on shelves, where it has sat since 1894, for many more years to come.

The Food & Drug Administration has little to no sway over the product’s safety issues because it is technically a cosmetic, not a medicine or drug. The American Cancer Society has yet to give a clear response to recent developments. And the International Agency for Research on Cancer has only said that talc is “possibly” carcinogenic. On top of it all, J&J has openly resisted the notion of putting any sort of warning label on their products.

In the meantime, if you or someone you love has developed ovarian cancer and you think it could be linked directly to baby powder use, litigation might be the best path to peace of mind and recovery. Contact me, San Fernando Valley Personal Injury Attorney Joel Parker, to learn how you, too, can create a dangerous drug lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company that sold you their baby powder products and claimed they were safe for use as a feminine hygiene product.

"It has always been my philosophy that the client's only job is to get better and my job is to handle everything else."

- Attorney Joel Parker

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