After approximately 10 hours of deliberation, a St. Louis, Missouri jury awarded $5 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages to a Sioux Falls, SD woman who alleged that her ovarian cancer resulted from her use of Johnson’s Baby Powder for feminine hygiene purposes. The woman, who was diagnosed with Stage I ovarian cancer in 2011 subsequently had a hysterectomy that included the removal of her uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes.
Similar Lawsuits Against J&J
Johnson & Johnson currently faces more than 1,200 similar lawsuits filed by ovarian cancer victims who allege that genital use of Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower was the cause or a contributing cause of their condition. About 1,000 of these cases have been filed in state court in the St. Louis area, while another 200 pend in New Jersey, J&J’s home state.
In February 2016, J&J sustained a $72 million loss in a case brought by the family of a 62-year-old Birmingham, AL woman who died of ovarian cancer after using the company’s baby powder and Shower to Shower in her genital area.
Talc and Ovarian Cancer
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 20,000 U.S. women annually are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and more than 14,000 die. The disease strikes about one woman in 70. Studies showing a higher rate of ovarian cancer with talc use for genital hygiene have typically found an increased risk of about 35 percent, putting the odds of getting the disease at about one in 50.
The use of talc has been a daily ritual for many women for years, and J&J marketed Shower to shower specifically for feminine hygiene, despite suspicions about talc and ovarian cancer that go back many years. In 1971, British researchers analyzed 13 ovarian tumors and found talc particles “deeply embedded” in 10 of them.
For these reasons and many others, the Talcum Powder lawyers at Childers, Schlueter & Smith continue to review and investigate Talc cases in patients diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. If you have questions about a potential claim or just need more information, please contact our office right now to see how we can help at Intake@cssfirmllcdev.wpenginepowered.com
