Mesothelioma Joins Ovarian Cancer as Baby Powder Trials Continue

Mesothelioma from talc's asbestos contamination may be the cause of thousands of cases of cancer

Wednesday, August 29, 2018 - Hundreds of millions of dollars in punitive damages have been awarded to women that have alleged that Johnson's Baby Powder caused their ovarian cancer. Recently a jury has found in favor of 22 women that claimed that asbestos contamination of the Johnson & Johnson talc supply caused their ovarian cancer, and awarded them a collective $5.69 billion. In two other cases, juries awarded mesothelioma victims a total of over $100 million. The sixth trial is underway, this time by 59-year-old Carolyn Weirick, who was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in 2017, naming Johnson & Johnson as defendants of their iconic brand of baby powder. Plaintiffs in California are alleging that asbestos contamination in Johnson's Baby Powder caused their malignant pleural mesothelioma. Upwards of 5,000 other lawsuits are pending against the company for similar reasons. Ms. Weirick alleges her mesothelioma was caused by a lifetime of inhaling particles of asbestos-laced talc dust from using Johnson's Baby Powder.

Respirable Quartz, A Lung Carcinogenic Found in Talc Samples

Asbestos contamination of the talc supply may not be the only cancer-causing impurity affecting Johnson's Baby Powder. It has long been suspected that Johnson's Baby Powder could cause mesothelioma. Since 1978, early testing of talc centered around "findings of silica minerals in samples of commercial body powders. The National Institute of Health (NIH) hypothesized that inhaled talcum powder could cause mesothelioma lung scarring or lung cancer. The NIH found that around 50% of the talc sampled contained respirable quartz, a lung carcinogen." Johnson & Johnson responded to the study by updating their warning label to say, "Keep powder away from child's face to avoid inhalation which can cause breathing problems. Avoid contact with the eyes. For external use only."

Talc, the main ingredient in Baby Powder is harvested from the ground in close proximity to asbestos mines and the possibility for cross-contamination is high. In addition, if and when traces of asbestos are found in talc they cannot be removed. The US Environmental Agency has come out and said that there is no level of asbestos that is considered safe and even trace amounts can become permanently embedded in lung tissue and cause mesothelioma. Now that consumers are aware of the link between talcum powder and asbestos everyone should be on the lookout for signs that they may have mesothelioma.

The lining of the lungs is called the mesothelium, hence the name mesothelioma. The mesothelium produces fluid that lubricates the lungs layers providing a slick surface and eases the organ's motions. A healthy mesothelium enables the lungs, for example, to expand and contract effortlessly. When asbestos particles embed themselves in the mesothelium the surfaces become rough and inelastic. Early warning signs that you may have developed mesothelioma include shortness of breath, a persistent cough to clear the fluid that has built up, and chest pain. Lawyers handling baby powder ovarian cancer lawsuits throughout the United States, and offer no-cost, no-obligation talcum powder cancer case review for persons throughout the nation who match this description.

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