As Mesothelioma and Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits Mount, Study Associates Link to Talc
There are more than 60,000 mesothelioma and ovarian cancer lawsuits pending against Johnson & Johnson, accusing the company of selling talc-based powder and failing to warn of its dangers. Though the company’s defense has relied on denying that talc exposure leads to cancer, a new study of ovarian cancer victims has confirmed an association between the incidence of the disease and the application of talc powder to the genitals.
Ovarian Cancer and Mesothelioma Victims File Lawsuits Against Talcum Powder Companies
Malignant mesothelioma and ovarian cancer are both diseases caused by exposure to asbestos, and people who’ve been diagnosed with these diseases and who have no occupational or environmental history of exposure have cited years of talcum powder use in their personal injury lawsuits. In response, Johnson & Johnson and other talc companies have aggressively rejected reports of a link between talc and cancer. However, a new analysis conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology weakens the companies’ arguments.
The retrospective study focused on ovarian cancer. It collected data from more than 50,000 women between the ages of 35 and 74 who had a sister diagnosed with breast cancer and asked them about their talcum powder use, assessing whether the substance was associated with an increased risk of the disease. The researchers concluded that there is a link.
Talc Lawsuits Will Be Strengthened by Researchers’ Finding
As Johnson & Johnson attorneys continue to defend its product and deny its role in mesothelioma and ovarian cancer, the company also discontinued talc use, replacing the long-time main ingredient with cornstarch. Though the company blames the shift on misinformation, their position will be significantly weakened (and mesothelioma plaintiffs’ position strengthened) by the study’s lead author’s comment on talc: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences epidemiologist Kate O’Brien asserted that there is no medical reason to use talc and indicated that women should carefully before using it.
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