Warnings of Increased Risk of Ovarian Cancer from Talcum Powder Use
Organizations have warned of an increased risk of ovarian cancer from using talcum powder for feminine hygiene for years.
Monday, June 12, 2017 - In spite of evidence dating back to 1971 linking Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower lotion to occurrences of Ovarian cancer in women, the United States Food and Drug Administration is yet to require Johnson & Johnson to re-label their Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products to reflect the ovarian cancer connection and risks inherent in using these two products. One reason for their hesitance is that the two products in question are categorized as "cosmetics" and not food and the agency simply doesn't issue rulings on cosmetics. It has taken the efforts of citizen coalitions, consumer safety advocates and independent cancer researcher to attempt to make consumers aware of the Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder/cancer connection.
The Cancer Prevention Coalition
Dating back to 2008, The Cancer Prevention Coalition has been urging the Food and Drug Administration to include a cancer warning on Johnson & Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower lotions. In an opinion editorial, Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., Chairman of Cancer Prevention Coalition has stated that the FDA has been lax in forcing Johnson & Johnson's to sufficiently warn consumers quoting the 1938 Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act which states: the label of a cosmetic product shall bear a warning statement to prevent a health hazard that may be associated with the product. The Coalition has provided the FDA with a citizen's petition that has been endorsed by leading cancer prevention doctors and scientists, Seeking an (Ovarian) Cancer Warning on talc products used by premenopausal women for genital dusting.
Web MD.com Recommends Talc Alternative Corn Starch
While acknowledging that women use powders for the purpose of feminine hygiene, doctors are quoting a recent study that links the daily, long-term use of Johnson's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower lotions with ovarian cancers in women, clearly recommending the use of corn starch-based powders over talcum powder. The website also makes a case that talcum powder may be a cancer-causing agent because it is mined alongside asbestos in many countries such as China where Johnson & Johnson procures their cheap talc in order to maximize profits. Corn starch is biologically impossible to cause cancer because of its chemical composition.
Journal of Cancer Prevention Research
The Journal of Cancer Prevention Research 2014 study of over 18,000 women concluded that using genital powder has a 20 to 30% increased the risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer.
Attorneys That Have Successfully Sued Johnson & Johnson
The personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at St. Louis Missouri-based Onder Law represent clients in all product liability cases pertaining to dangerous consumer products, drug company negligence, and defective medical devices. Our firm tackles large pharmaceutical companies head-on and we have recently won over $50 million dollars for our clients who have suffered Ovarian cancer from using Johnson & Johnson Baby Power for feminine hygiene purposes. Our excellent track record places our firm as the leading legal resource for people who are suffering from Ovarian cancer as well as the loved ones of those who have died at the hands of Johnson & Johnsons deceptive product labeling and marketing of their baby powder products. Our counsel is sought out by attorney nationwide who are bringing their talcum powder cases to us to be heard in St. Louis. More and more women are coming forward every day with claims that they are suffering from Ovarian cancer and have used Johnson & Johnson's baby powder on a daily basis for feminine hygiene for their entire adult life.
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