On Aug. 21, a Los Angeles jury awarded $417 million to a woman who claimed her ovarian cancer was caused by Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder. This marks the largest verdict to-date in several talcum powder lawsuits that have gone to trial in recent years.

According to the lawsuit, the woman used Johnson Baby Powder sometimes twice a day for 41 years, continuing even after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007. It was not until she heard news of a talcum powder lawsuit in 2016 that she made the connection between her disease and the product.

She and thousands of other women have claimed that talcum powder can cause an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer when used near the genitals. The lawsuits claim that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn about these dangers, despite studies dating back to 1971 that support the link.

Johnson & Johnson continues to deny the dangers of its product and says it will appeal the verdict.

The Dangers of Talcum Powder

Talc is a mineral made of silicon, magnesium, oxygen and hydrogen that is commonly used in cosmetics and personal hygiene products.

One of the first talcum powder studies to identify a link to ovarian cancer was released in 1971 and identified talc particles embedded in ovarian cancer tumors.

Then in 1982, a Harvard researcher reported a link between talc and ovarian cancer. That study was followed by several others that also noted an increased risk of developing the cancer among users of talc-based products.

As a result of the high number of adverse event reports involving talcum powder the U.S. Food and Drug Administration receives, it is conducting its own investigation into the link.

Thousands of Lawsuits Still Pending

Although only a few talcum powder lawsuits have gone to trial so far, most have ended in favor of the women who were harmed by Johnson & Johnson’s product:

  • May 2017 – $110 million was awarded to a Virginia woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012
  • March 2017 – A St. Louis jury ruled in favor of a South Dakota woman but did not award compensation
  • May 2016 – $55 million was awarded by a Missouri jury
  • February 2016 – $72 million was awarded by a Missouri jury to a woman who died before the verdict was reached

A St. Louis jury ruled in favor of Johnson & Johnson in March and two other cases were dismissed by a New Jersey judge.

Approximately 2,000 women have filed talcum powder lawsuits throughout the country.

Contact Us if You Developed Ovarian Cancer After Using Talcum Powder

If you regularly used talcum powder and later develop ovarian cancer, you may have legal options that could entitle you to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, lost enjoyment of life, and more.

Contact Goldberg Finnegan today to find out if you have a case and learn more about your next steps. Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis and do not get paid unless we recover compensation on your behalf.