Another Lawsuit Won Linking Talc-Based Products to Ovarian Cancer

Earlier this month, a jury ordered
Johnson & Johnson to pay $417 million to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer
after using the company’s talc-based products. This verdict in favor
of the California woman was the largest yet in lawsuits alleging the company,
who makes talc-based products like baby powder, failed to adequately warn
consumers about the products’ cancer risks. J&J is currently
facing thousands of pending lawsuits over cancer claims in hundreds of
women and has been hit with over $300 million in verdicts by juries in Missouri.

The
American Cancer Society estimates for ovarian cancer in the United States for 2017 are:

  • About 22,440 women will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
  • About 14,080 women will die from ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for
more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. A
woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about
1 in 75. Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in
100. As with any disease, there are many possible contributing factors
in the development of ovarian cancer. Some experts now believe up to 10
percent of all ovarian cancer cases in the United States could be related
to long-term exposure to talc in baby powder products.

The unfortunate truth is that we do not yet know how many Indiana women
have faced tragically altered lives as a result of harms caused by talcum
powder and related products.

Studies Show Significant Risk for Regular Users of Talcum Powder

Warnings of potential dangers of talc, the primary ingredient in talcum
powder, have been sounded for over 50 years. In an unprocessed state,
talc contains asbestos and is carcinogenic. Though cosmetics and other
products have used asbestos-free talc since the early 70s, there have
still been more than 20 research studies that have found a link between
the use of talc-based powders and ovarian cancer.

A multi-study analysis found the risk of ovarian cancer increased by 33
percent for regular users of baby powder. Even the World Health Organization’s (WHO)
International Agency for Research on Cancer finds talc to be “possibly carcinogenic.” Even so, J&J
failed to inform their customers about the risks. In fact, there is evidence
they targeted marketed to African American women and overweight women
by essentially shaming them about their own bodies and the intense need
to avoid “feminine odors.”

Contact Us Now To Discuss Your Case

If you or a loved one regularly used products containing talcum powder
and were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the
product liability attorneys at Wagner Reese can help. It is important for victims in Indiana to understand that class
action cannot provide victims with compensation for medical bills, lost
wages, pain and suffering, or funeral expenses. Our job, after helping
you to understand your options, is to ease your burden by seeking maximum
compensation for the illness and pain caused knowingly by J&J.

If you believe you or a family member may have been harmed by J&J products,
please give us a call at (888) 204-8440 or use our
contact form to schedule a risk-free, no-cost consultation.