Orlando Product Liability Attorney Tim David discusses how to determine if you have a Johnson Johnson baby powder lawsuit claim.
What Is The News?
Johnson & Johnson has been featured across headline news articles recently alarming many households. Johnson & Johnson baby powder and other J&J products have been used by multiple generations not only for babies, but also for women to use for hygiene and dryness protection in their genital area. The current headlines in the news are linking the talcum powder used by women for these purposes to ovarian cancer.
What’s All the Hype?
The Johnson Johnson baby powder lawsuit involves about 1,700 cases in state and federal courts accusing Johnson & Johnson of ignoring studies linking its baby powder and Shower-to-Shower talc products to ovarian cancer and failing to warn customers about the risk. The pharmaceutical mass distributor Johnson & Johnson has lost its third straight trial over claims that its talcum powder lead to ovarian cancer.
- $70 Million: In October 2016, a Missouri jury ordered Johnson and Johnson to pay California’s Deborah Giannecchini, 62, $70 million dollars in damages, because they agreed that her frequent use of the companies talc powder over four decades caused her ovarian cancer.
- $55 Million: In May 2016, Gloria Ristesund was awarded $55 million by a Missouri jury because they agreed that her ovarian cancer was caused by her frequent use of Johnson & Johnson’s talc powder. Although she was already at risk of ovarian cancer because she suffered from endometriosis, her attorneys argued that her use of talc powder increased her chances of developing ovarian cancer by 200%.
- $72 Million: In February 2016, the family of Jacqueline Fox was awarded $72 million after a jury agreed that her daily use of Johnson & Johnson’s talc powder over the course of 35 years caused the ovarian cancer that eventually killed her. $10 million was awarded for actual damages and $62 million, one million for each year of her life, was awarded for punitive damages.
This is what all the hype is about. Class action lawsuits have also been filed against Johnson and Johnson across several states. The biggest argument is that Johnson and Johnson has refused to place a warning label on its products over the years to warn women that their powder could cause cancer by entering the vagina after being applied to the genital area or on sanitary napkins or condoms. This leads to the next question: what does the research say?
Research: Does Talcum Powder Cause Cancer?
The claim that links talcum powder to ovarian cancer is not new. The first links of talcum powder leading to ovarian cancer were first discovered in 1971 and published in a medical journal. It is believed that talcum powder, when used near the genital area, can travel to the ovaries and become embedded in the ovarian tissue. While talc is a natural mineral, it is very difficult for the body to remove the particles leading to inflammation and the formation of cancerous tumors.
In 1982, researchers found that women using talcum powder during ovulation were at a 92% increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. During the next 30 years, an additional 21 studies were performed on talc powder, and almost all of these studies found that women using these products near their genitals were at an increased risk for developing ovarian cancer. The results are not conclusive and the cancer victims have used the products over a very long period of time; which adds complications to the research. Overall, the cancer research studies recommend for women to not use talcum powder near the genital area.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth most deadly cancer among women. It causes more deaths than any other cancer in the female reproductive system, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2016, more than 22,200 American women were estimated to receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis, according to the American Cancer Society.
If you or someone you know developed ovarian cancer after using talcum or baby powder, you should contact an experienced trial attorney at David & Philpot, P.L. today to determine if you have a Johnson Johnson baby powder lawsuit. The consultation is absolutely free and there is no obligation to speak with one of our experienced product liability attorneys. David & Philpot, P.L. has been representing victims of pharmaceutical giants for over 20 years. We’ve recovered millions of dollars for our clients and are here to help you. Contact us today at 800.360.7015 for a free consultation.
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