What in baby powder causes cancer

The FDA commissioned a study of various talc samples from 2009 to 2010, including Johnson & Johnson products, in a bid to test for asbestos. The watchdog did not find asbestos contamination. However, Mark Lanier, a lawyer for the women suing, said both the agency and the company used flawed testing methods, preventing them from detecting the possible presence of asbestos fibers. … [Read more...] about Does Baby Powder Cause Cancer? Women Awarded Nearly $5 Billion in Damages From Johnson & Johnson

J&J spokesperson Carol Goodrich told Courtroom View Network that the mesothelioma claim is baseless. “Johnson’s Baby Powder has been around since 1894 and it does not contain asbestos or cause mesothelioma or ovarian cancer,” Goodrich said. … [Read more...] about Jurors reject claim that asbestos in talcum powder caused mesothelioma

Following an eight-hour deliberation Thursday, jurors awarded the women $550 million in compensatory damages and another $4.14 billion in punitive damages, their attorney, Mark Lanier, said in a news release. At issue were claims that the pharmaceutical giant sold powder products that were contaminated with asbestos - once a pollutant in talc that has been linked to lung cancer - though there is much debate about whether talcum powder can lead to ovarian cancer. … [Read more...] about Johnson & Johnson ordered to pay $4.69 billion to women who say baby powder gave them cancer

Plaintiffs here face several challenges in proving causation, particularly because of the tenuous link between talc exposure and cancer. A woman’s lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is very low: about 0.01 percent. Some studies show talc slightly increases a woman’s lifetime risk to 0.0133 percent, while other studies failed to find a link. While some epidemiological studies have demonstrated a correlation, especially in African-American women, correlation is not causation. The studies also face methodological challenges because only a few have accounted for both frequency and duration of baby powder use. … [Read more...] about Consumer Protection: Let’s Talc About Baby Powder

This time, the 62-year-old plaintiff Gloria Ristesund—who alleged that use of talcum powder in her genital area caused ovarian cancer—was alive to see it. However, Ristesund, who lives in South Dakota, reportedly declined to comment. Another 1,200 cases making similar claims against Johnson & Johnson await trial in state and federal court, according to her attorney, Jim Onder. … [Read more...] about Jury awards $55M to woman who claimed Johnson & Johnson talcum powder caused her cancer