Everything You Need to Know about Johnson & Johnson’s Talc and the Link to Cancer

By now, news of Johnson & Johnson’s two losses in court, over the link between their feminine products containing talc and consumers’ diagnoses of ovarian cancer, has spread. They are appealing those losses, which total $127 million. It appears there is a link between talc and ovarian cancer after two different juries have found such an association.

It appears that the link is strong. If you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, an attorney from our firm would like to speak with you to determine your legal rights for your injuries. We have been handling mass tort claims like these for years, and we know what it takes to be successful in complex cases. Call 803-327-7800 or contact us today to find out how we can help.

What the research says

In May of 2015, the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer published the results of a study by the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. They specifically looked into whether people who use talc cosmetics “had substantial lifetime risk based on reported risk factors.” What they found was that:

“Talc use increased ovarian cancer risk by 30–60% in almost all well-designed studies. The Attributable Risk was 29%, meaning that elimination of talc use could protect more than one quarter or more of women who develop ovarian cancer…. Well-designed studies that considered dose response by both duration and frequency all found higher risk among women exposed to more applications” (emphasis ours.)

The two cases filed – and won by plaintiffs – so far both revolved around the Shower to Shower talc product; however, the study linking talc to ovarian cancer published in 2015 specifically mentions baby powder. Some women use either of these products for feminine hygiene. All of the manufacturers of talc products make a cornstarch alternative for women who want that option. In order someone to elect this alternative, however, they need to have been warned of the ovarian cancer risk, even if it has not occurred at this point in time.

Why you need a lawyer

Johnson & Johnson is a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical conglomerate with a team of highly trained, skilled attorneys. They have already started the appeals process for the two cases they lost. This is a company that is selling a dangerous product that it markets to women and they are failing to warn the public about a specific cancer caused by exposure to their product. McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, is one of the  premier litigation firms in South Carolina. If you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and are a regular or life-long consumer of talc-based hygiene products, you’re going to need an attorney who can handle the pressure of complex litigation. When you work with us, you’ll get an entire team of attorneys with the skills, the resources and the experience to take on these claims. We’re with you from beginning to the end, and we won’t settle a case just because it’s “easier.” We fight for justice, we fight for accountability, and we fight for you.

To speak to an experienced South Carolina attorney in our mass torts department, we invite you to call 803-327-7800 or fill out this brief form. Discover the difference experience makes; choose McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, to represent you and to fight for your family’s future.