The Big News with Baby Powder

Peter Olszewski

Recently, there have been multiple allegations against the pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson involving the company’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products. Both of these products include talcum powder, which is made from talc – a mineral containing magnesium and silicon which is mined in rock form.For multiple years, these products have been linked to lung-related disorders if breathed in too often, especially for young children. However, now there is an increasing concern for the use of talcum powder involved with feminine hygiene products and the link that it could have with ovarian cancer. Some studies have shown a connection between talcum powder used on or around the genitals and a slight increased risk for ovarian cancer. For many years, women have used talcum powders to keep moisture, odor, and chafing under control around their genital area. Talcum powders have also widely been used in multiple products including feminine hygiene products, diaphragms, and condoms.This connection between talcum powder products and ovarian cancer has come to the legal forum through multiple class-action lawsuits. In November 2013, a jury found Johnson & Johnson had been negligent by not placing warnings on their talcum powder products in the case of Berg v. Johnson & Johnson. However, the jury did not award the South Dakota woman any compensation or punitive damages. In February 2016, in another lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, a jury awarded the family of a Missouri woman who passed away from ovarian cancer $62 million in punitive damages and $10 million in other damages, totaling a $72 million payout for failing to warn customers about the risks involved with long-term use of talcum powder products in relation to feminine hygiene.Class-action lawsuits also have been filed in California and Illinois against Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies concerning the failure for decades to warn of the danger of talcum powders in relation to feminine products and the use of such powders around the genital area. While research still is continuing about the connection between talcum powder products and ovarian cancer, juries are finding companies such as Johnson & Johnson liable for failing to warn women about these potential health hazards.If you think you or someone you love has been harmed by the use of talcum powder, contact the personal injury attorneys at Scartelli Olszewski, P.C. Our aggressive, skilled team of attorneys in northeast PA is small enough to care but large enough to win.™