Baby Powder Lawsuits Push Demand For Alternatives
With more than 1,000 Johnson & Johnson's baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuits currently pending nationwide, the interest for alternatives has grown as the company's talcum powder products are falling out of favor with consumers.
Monday, April 18, 2016 - The attention Johnson & Johnson's baby powder lawsuits have aimed at the company's talcum powder products has led consumers to search for alternatives untouched by ovarian cancer connections. These include cornstarch-based baby powder and other talc-free baby powder products that are highlighting their distance from the talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits that have plagued the marketability of the product.
The allegations at the heart of the talcum powder cancer lawsuits have led to the necessity for alternative baby powder products, as plaintiffs around the country allege that Johnson & Johnson protected the marketability of their products by neglecting to warn consumers about medically researched links between their talcum powder products and ovarian cancer. These claims are backed by decades of scientific research and internal documents presented by talcum powder lawyers representing the plaintiffs that suggest Johnson & Johnson had been aware of the link for years and did not amend the warning label on the product.
Though Johnson & Johnson does produce cornstarch-based baby powder products, the search for alternatives may likely go away from the company that has recently been dealt blow after blow to its consumer safety image. In addition to the roughly 1,200 talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits currently pending, the health care giant has either settled or is still fighting claims related to defective metal-on-metal knee replacements, the harmful off-label marketing of the drug Risperdal, and a number of other legal issues that has caused the company to spend over $5 billion to resolve the claims filed against it since 2013.
The company also damaged goodwill with its talcum powder consumers when some of the internal documents produced by baby powder cancer attorneys representing the plaintiffs revealed that Johnson & Johnson pivoted to market their talcum powder products to minorities after they had become aware of the carcinogenic properties turning up in research studies. African Americans and Hispanics are both known to be two ethnic communities privy to employ talcum powder genitally, which is what many studies claim can lead to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Johnson & Johnson allegedly took advantage of this consumer base and marketed the drug directly to them. The first woman to file a talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuit against the company and win damages against the company was African American.
In light of the numerous studies conducted that have linked the regular genital use of talcum powder to ovarian cancer, medical experts have begun to recommend that consumers use talc-free baby powder products and those intended to serve a similar purpose. The rash of Johnson & Johnson's baby powder lawsuits piling up nationwide will likely cause those concerned with any possible connection between the product and ovarian cancer to consider an alternative.
The second talcum powder lawsuit to be heard before the City of St. Louis Circuit Court began last week, following the first that resulted in $72 million of damages levied against Johnson & Johnson. Too many more large verdicts like the first could lead to Johnson & Johnson considering a lump sum settlement to avoid large court decisions against the company. Such a move would likely lead to even more public discouragement regarding the use of talcum powder and push the market even further toward talcum powder alternatives.
OnderLaw, LLC -