Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Baby Powder, Ovarian Cancer Link
A lawsuit seeks class action status to represent women who developed ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based powder products.
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Johnson & Johnson over the potential connection between the company’s Johnson’s Baby Powder product and ovarian cancer side effects. According to the suit, Johnson & Johnson failed to warn consumers and the medical community about the risk of ovarian cancer women may face when talcum powder is used on the genital area for feminine hygiene purposes. The talcum powder lawsuit was filed by Mona Estrada in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on April 28, and seeks class action status to represent all women who purchased J&J’s talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder. The complaint also seeks to force Johnson & Johnson to provide accurate warnings to consumers about the potential health risks associated with talcum powder products, including a considerably increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Talcum Powder and Ovarian Cancer
While baby powder is most often used to prevent diaper rash or to sooth irritated skin, may women use the talc-based product on their body after a shower or on the genital area for feminine hygiene purposes. As a result, Johnson & Johnson and other manufacturing companies have sold similar talcum powder products, like Johnson’s Shower-to-Shower product, as an all-over body powder. However, serious concerns have been raised in recent years about the safety of these talc-based powder products, as research shows that women who apply the powder to their genital area may have a significantly increased risk of developing ovarian cancer if the talcum powder migrates through the vagina to the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Lawsuits Over Talc-Related Cancer Diagnoses
According to allegations raised in Estrada’s class action lawsuit, Johnson & Johnson has known for decades about the risk of ovarian cancer with talcum powder use, yet failed to provide consumers with any warnings regarding this serious health risk. Although Estrada does not claim that she has developed ovarian cancer from talcum powder, there are many women in the United States currently pursuing legal action against talc powder makers over ovarian cancer complications. In October 2013, a South Dakota jury found that J&J failed to provide sufficient warnings about the risk of ovarian cancer from talcum powder products, in a talc powder lawsuit filed by Deane Berg, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 after using J&J’s Shower-to-Shower powder for more than three decades.
Contact a Skilled Talcum Powder Lawyer Today
As more information comes to light about the potential connection between talcum powder products and ovarian cancer, a growing number of women are pursuing lawsuits over the side effects of talc powder, which has been labeled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a “possible carcinogen.” If you used a talc-based product like Johnson’s Baby Powder or Shower-to-Shower body powder, and you have since been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, our consumer advocates at the Leading Justice can help. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers adversely affected by dangerous products, and can help put you in touch with a product liability lawyer who has experience handling talcum powder claims. With a qualified attorney on your side, you can protect your legal rights and pursue financial compensation for your injuries and medical expenses.