A jury in South Dakota recently found that a woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer may have contracted the disease because of her long-term use of talcum powder. Talcum powder, which is also known as baby powder, is extremely common and popular with American consumers. People of all ages use it as part of their hygienic routines, most often after showers or baths. They apply it to their skin because it is supposed to help protect moisture and keep skin soft and smooth. There are many different products on the market that are used for these purposes.
The jury found that a woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006 and who had used talcum powder for approximately 30 years had successfully argued her case against Johnson & Johnson, the defendant. Even though the jury felt that the use of these products and the cancer diagnosis were related, they did not award the plaintiff any financial damages. Attorneys for the plaintiff have begun to bring awareness to this issue in hopes that more public warnings will be issued.
The reason that the jury found a connection between the use of baby powder and the woman’s ovarian cancer diagnosis was that three different doctors examined the woman’s cancerous tissue. All three of them found the presence of talc in those tissue samples. All three of them also concluded that the talc found in these cancerous cells was similar to the products that the plaintiff had used after her showers for decades.
Talcum powder or baby powder is a substance that contains talc, which is a mineral that is ground by large machines into very small granules. These granules are sprinkled out of a bottle and onto a person’s hand for application onto the skin. Talc can contain dangerous substances that include asbestos in some cases, although that was never specifically proven in the baby powder lawsuit that was filed in South Dakota.
The emerging theory regarding how women can develop ovarian cancer from the prolonged use of talcum powder involves the ability of these small talc granules to penetrate the body through the vagina. This powder can theoretically travel through the vagina and the uterus and fallopian tubes before settling in the ovaries. If such a substance settles in the ovaries for a long period of time, it could lead to serious health problems such as those encountered by the plaintiff in this talcum powder lawsuit.
If you are a woman who uses talcum powder regularly after showers, you should be made aware of the potential risks that have been brought to light recently. If you are concerned about this situation, you should talk to your doctor about what you should do next. If you believe that you have encountered health problems because of the use of any of these products, you need to contact the talcum powder lawyers at Parilman & Associates today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can get this process started either by emailing the firm or by calling 800-800-DRUG.
