In a
landmark decision, a jury has ordered Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to pay
$417m (£323m) to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer after using
the company’s talc-based products such as Johnson’s Baby Powder for feminine
hygiene.
The verdict
was given in favor of California resident Eva Echeverria,who claimed that she
developed terminal cancer after decades of use of J&J’s products.
This is the
largest payout yet with J&J facing thousands of lawsuits (4800) for failure
to warn the consumer about cancer risk of its talc based products.
“We are
grateful for the jury’s verdict on this matter and that Eva Echeverria was able
to have her day in court,” said Mark Robinson, her lawyer, in a statement.
Her lawyers
argued that the company continued to market and encourage women to use its talc
based products, despite aware of its carcinogenic potential.
Earlier, a Missouri
jury has awarded $72 million to the family of an Alabama woman who died from
ovarian cancer in October 2015.
Despite
being named as baby powder, it is used by millions of adults in sensitive area
to prevent chafing or promote dryness.
In its
natural form talc contains asbestos, a proven carcinogenic since decades.American Cancer Society states,” When talking about whether or not talcum
powder is linked to cancer, it is important to distinguish between talc that
contains asbestos and talc that is asbestos-free. Talc that has asbestos is
generally accepted as being able to cause cancer if it is inhaled. This type of
talc is not used in modern consumer products. The evidence about asbestos-free
talc, which is still widely used, is less clear.”
It is
postulated that if talc or a product containing talc is applied to your genital
area in any way (whether it’s applied directly — what’s called perineal talc
use — or whether it makes its way there
via pads, condoms, etc.), the powder particles might be able to travel from
your vagina all the way up to your ovaries.
This may set
off inflammation, which is believed to play an important role in etiology for
ovarian cancer.
Many studies
have looked into possible link between talc use and ovarian cancer, but the
findings are equivocal. A 2003 meta-analysis of 16 studies (11,933 patients)
found a link between talc use and ovarian cancer while a 2014 study of 61,576
women did not find the same link.
Meanwhile
J&J said, “We will appeal today’s verdict because we are guided by the
science, which supports the safety of Johnson’s baby powder.”
So, the
bottom line is we still do not have sufficient evidence to prove causation. FDA
states that, “There is not sufficient evidence to prove a possible connection.”
However, after a flurry of recent lawsuits The U.S. FDA Office of Women's
Health has agreed to fund a study investigating the possible link between
cosmetic talc use and ovarian cancer.
A posting on
the FDA's website notes that while women are commonly known to use products
containing talc for hygiene and cosmetic purposes, talc's effects on the
tissues that make up the female genital system have not been adequately
investigated.
Till
causation is proved, the consumers are advised to play it safe and can use talc
free powders. A lot of companies make talc-free baby powder out of cornstarch,
including Johnson & Johnson.
