Baby Powder Lawsuits Attack J&J Marketing Tactics

Plaintiffs that have filed Johnson & Johnson's baby powder lawsuits claim the company misled women with targeted marketing that increased their risk for ovarian cancer.

Saturday, January 7, 2017 - A main gripe shared by plaintiffs that have filed talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson is that the company not only failed to warn them of the product's cancer causing elements, but actively marketed the product as safe to use for the exact method by which cancer could be contracted. More than 2,000 women around the country have filed baby powder lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson, and none of them were ever warned about the studies conducted linking the product and ovarian cancer.

In the talcum powder lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson, there are repeated mentions of how the company referred to the "freshness" and "comfort" of talcum powder in reference to applying the product for genital hygiene. These messages were featured on the talcum powder products well after many medical studies had been published establishing a link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, as well as after Johnson & Johnson had already been made aware of these studies by doctors hired by the company.

Plaintiffs claim that in doing so, the company knowingly advertised their products to women who should have been warned of the side effects talcum powder could cause if used for genital hygiene. More than 20 medical studies have been conducted into this link, with some reporting that when used for genital hygiene, talcum powder can increase the risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 35 percent.

Despite this figure, many Johnson & Johnson's baby powder lawsuits note that the talcum powder products contained messages that claims it was "clinically proven gentle and mild." Johnson & Johnson has argued that talcum powder does not cause cancer, though lately the company has not been doing well when those claims have gone to trial.

Nearly $200 million was paid to plaintiffs who hired talcum powder attorneys to represent them in trials in 2016. Johnson & Johnson lost all three claims that went to trial, with all the plaintiffs noting the marketing that Johnson & Johnson used to help sell their product. The claims even alleged that Johnson & Johnson specifically targeted women, and there have been reports that the company was even more specific in targeting minorities even after they know of the carcinogenic effects of talcum powder.

The medical studies conducted into talcum powder claim that when used as a genital hygienic by women, talc particles can travel up the fallopian tubes and become embedded in ovarian tissue. This development can lead to irregular cell growth and eventually cancer. Ovarian cancer is very difficult to treat effectively because it so often is diagnosed late after the disease has developed into its later stages. Some epidemiologists have estimated that as many as 10,000 women a year contract ovarian cancer as a result of using talcum powder in a fashion as advertised by Johnson & Johnson.

A new Johnson & Johnson's baby powder lawsuit trial will begin in February of 2017. Talcum powder lawyers on both sides are currently preparing for the proceedings, as jury selection is set to begin on January 30. It will be the fourth talcum powder trial heard before the City of St. Louis Circuit Court.

Information provided by TalcumPowderCancerLawsuit.com, a website devoted to providing news about talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits, as well as medical research and findings.