Motley Rice attorney Carmen Scott named to leadership for talcum powder litigation

U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson on Dec. 6, 2016 named Motley Rice medical attorney Carmen Scott to the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the talcum powder litigation. The litigation, brought against Johnson & Johnson, was filed for women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer after using the company’s talc-based products for feminine hygiene. The women allege the powder caused them to develop ovarian cancer.

At the heart of the claims is Johnson & Johnson’s alleged failure to warn consumers, many of whom used the powder for decades, of the potential harm. The company has repeatedly denied any link between its products and the disease.

Talcum powder cancer studies

A growing number of studies, however, found that using talcum powder in the perineal area significantly increased a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer by as much as 33 percent. African-American and Hispanic women may have been placed at an even higher risk in part due to targeted ad campaigns Johnson & Johnson reportedly used to boost sales in the 1990s.

“I take the responsibility of representing women and now also serving in a leadership role incredibly seriously. Lives could have potentially been saved had these women been given the information they needed to make knowledgeable choices about their health and their bodies. As consumers, we all should be able to trust manufacturers to place the public’s safety above all else. Unfortunately in this case, I believe Johnson & Johnson fell short of that obligation,” said Scott.

If you or a loved one developed ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson’s talc-based products in the perineum, or genital area, you can contact medical attorney Carmen Scott by email or call 1.800.768.4026.