Thousands of women across the country say they developed ovarian cancer from exposure to talcum powder, and other plaintiffs make similar claims about mesothelioma in the growing talcum powder cancer litigation. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, or another type of cancer you believe to be related to alleged talcum powder side effects, contact Consumer Safety Watch today to find out how we can help. By speaking with an experienced talcum powder cancer attorney, you can determine whether you may qualify for a talcum powder settlement. By filing a lawsuit against the manufacturers of talc-based products like Baby Powder and Body Powder, you may be able to recover compensation for the harm you and your loved ones have suffered.
Product liability lawyers nationwide are currently investigating claims that talcum powder manufacturers failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential for talc-based powder products, like Johnson & Johnson’s signature Baby Powder, to cause ovarian cancer and other types of cancer. Johnson & Johnson has already paid out billions of dollars in damages to plaintiffs who accuse the company of developing, manufacturing, and selling a dangerous product. This includes one landmark $4.7 billion verdict that was divided among 22 individual plaintiffs who say they developed ovarian cancer from exposure to asbestos in the company’s talc products.
Cancer caused by exposure to asbestos is a common theme repeated throughout many of the tens of thousands of talcum powder lawsuits filed in state and federal courts across the country. A known carcinogen, asbestos occurs naturally in close proximity to talc in the earth. When talc is mined for use in consumer products like talc powders, it is not uncommon for these talc deposits to be contaminated with asbestos fibers. Without proper testing or oversight, asbestos can easily appear in the finished powder products consumers see on store shelves. In 2020, following a year-long assignment of testing talc-containing cosmetics for the presence of asbestos, the FDA reported that out of the 52 products tested, nine were positive for asbestos. That same year, testing commissioned by the Environmental Working Group uncovered asbestos in three out of 21 talc-containing cosmetics products that were tested. The presence of a known human carcinogen in consumer products puts people who use these products at risk for cancer and other devastating diseases.
Talcum powder products have been sold in the United States since the 1800s, but only recently has the safety of these products been called into question. Despite repeated claims by Johnson & Johnson that its talc products are safe and asbestos-free, the FDA in 2019 discovered traces of asbestos in a bottle of Johnson’s Baby Powder, which led to a talcum powder recall. Moreover, an investigative report published by Reuters in 2018 suggested that the company knew for decades that its talcum powder products sometimes contained asbestos and did nothing to address the problem or warn consumers. Faced with tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging that talcum powder causes cancer, Johnson & Johnson in 2020 made the much-anticipated decision to stop selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada. In August 2022, the company announced that it would discontinue talc-based baby powder sales globally by 2023.
Johnson & Johnson’s decision to halt the sale of talc-based powders and switch to an all-cornstarch formulation is one that protects public health. Sadly, this is a win that comes far too late for consumers who developed ovarian cancer, mesothelioma, or another type of cancer after years of using talcum powder. If you regularly used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower to Shower powder, or another talc-based baby powder product, and you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, you are not alone. Thousands of people are pursuing compensation from Johnson & Johnson for cancer diagnoses they say stemmed from exposure to the company’s talcum powder products. Contact Consumer Safety Watch as soon as possible to discuss your case and find out whether you may qualify for a talcum powder settlement.
