Profits Over People - The Story of Talcum Powder Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer after using talcum powder for feminine hygiene should never have happened, yet hundreds of thousands have suffered
Friday, June 30, 2017 - Ovarian cancer is one of the most painful and deadly forms of cancer inflicting more than 20,000 American women every year. When Johnson & Johnson executives learned that their Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products could be linked to Ovarian cancer, rather than alert consumers of the risks with a product warning label, the company chose to redirect their marketing efforts towards a less educated and less well-informed demographic. Marketing executives chose to target African American women who would be likely to purchase Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower lotion for their daily feminine hygiene needs. Such callous lack of concern for public safety has contributed greatly to the massive punitive damages awarded to plaintiffs who have suffered from such cancer. Punitive damages of a typical settlement that our firm has secured against Johnson & Johnson can be as high as 90% of the total amount awarded. In our most recent victory, our client was awarded a payout of $5.4 million in compensation and a further $105 million in punitive damages. Blatant racism on the part of Johnson & Johnson in targeting African American women with this deadly product is an important element in determining "punitive" damages.
African American Women Targeted by Johnson & Johnson
In order to assimilate with white women, African women have been urged with multi-million dollar marketing campaigns to use Johnson's Baby Powder to "freshen" themselves twice per day even though the company knew their product caused Ovarian cancer in women. The first women to successfully sue Johnson & Johnson for Baby Powder negligence, Jacqueline Fox, testified that she had used Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder almost daily for over 40 years to "stay clean" as the company put it. She lived only a short time after learning that she had Ovarian cancer. After her death, a St. Louis jury awarded her son $72 million dollars in a landmark decision against the company.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms
The main reason that Ovarian cancer is so deadly, according to the Center for Disease Control, is that the painful symptoms of the disease easily mask themselves as ordinary menstrual pain and discomfort. If detected in stage one, over 90% of Ovarian cancer is curable and is rarely found in women under age 40. Most Ovarian cancers are detected in women over 60. Stage one cancer is characterized as being contained in the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Stage two is when the cancer has spread to nearby organs and beyond that is stage three. Stage four is when the cancer has spread to the major organs beyond the abdomen.
Early detection of Ovarian cancer is critical to having a successful treatment. If you have used Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder in the genital region and are experiencing painful menstrual symptoms beyond the norm, it is essential that you immediately see a doctor for a full cancer screening examination. No matter what your age, your health comes first so see a doctor immediately. If you are diagnosed with Ovarian cancer you may have a case to sue Johnson & Johnson for reimbursement of your medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and punitive damages. Our firm represents talcum powder cancer plaintiffs from all fifty states and we work on a contingency basis which means that there are no legal fees unless we win and collect.
OnderLaw, LLC -