On Feb. 22, 2016, a St. Louis, Missouri, jury awarded the family of a woman who passed away from ovarian cancer $72 million, including $62 million in punitive damages. The woman used Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder for more than 35 years before she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She passed away in October at 62-years-old. While Motley Rice attorneys were not involved in this specific case, the firm represents women in similar talc powder lawsuits.
“Johnson & Johnson has for years advertised and sold its baby powder, made with talcum powder, including the brand Shower to Shower, as a way to stay fresh and dry. As a result, thousands of women have used the product, unknowingly exposing themselves to an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer,” said Motley Rice women’s lawyer Carmen Scott.
The Cancer Prevention Research organization, a Harvard epidemiologist and the American Cancer Society all have stated there may be an association with talc powder use and the development of ovarian cancer.