Talcum Powder

Columbus Ohio Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer Injury Lawyers

Clark, Perdue & List is investigating personal injury and wrongful death claims as a result of ovarian cancer arising from use of talcum powder products.

Talcum powder is used in many products such as cosmetics, baby powder, adult body and facial powders. It is estimated that nearly 40 percent of women regularly use baby powder for personal hygiene following bathing. Popular talcum powder products include Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower.

Talcum powder contains a naturally-occurring silicate mineral called talc. Silicate minerals contain silicon. Silicates are generally nonreactive minerals, but can cause irritation and even cancer. Some scientists believe silicates damage DNA or cause chronic inflammation that leads to cancer.

Studies linking talcum powder usage and ovarian cancer date back as far as 1971. Doctors noticed that about seventy-five percent of ovarian tumors were found to have talc powder embedded in the tumor. In 1982, the New York Times alleged that Johnson & Johnson – the largest manufacturer of talcum powder – knew of the risk of ovarian cancer in talcum powder users, and failed to warn consumers. In June 2013, a study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston was published in Cancer Prevention Research. That study led researchers to conclude that the use of talcum powder in the genital area by women results in a greater risk of development of ovarian cancer. The study compared 8,525 women who were diagnosed with cancer with 9,800 women without a history of cancer. The researchers determined that women who regularly used talcum powder after bathing had a 24 percent greater chance of developing ovarian cancer.

Researchers estimate that 10,000 cases of ovarian cancer are caused by talcum powder use every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ovarian cancer is the most deadly cancer of the female reproductive system. It is referred to as a “silent killer” because by the time it is detected, in most cases it is too late.

In November 2013, a jury in South Dakota found that Johnson & Johnson had failed to warn consumers of the link between ovarian cancer and the use of talc-based body powder for feminine hygiene.