Dallas Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog
An Illinois woman has filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson over their talcum powder products. Lynne Cebulske alleges that she developed ovarian cancer after using Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower body powder for feminine hygiene purposes.
Cebulske filed the complaint in St. Clair County Court in Illinois on May 14. Throughout the United States there are a growing number of talcum baby and body powder lawsuits filed by women who allege that Johnson & Johnson failed to warn about the ovarian cancer risk associated with the talcum products.
Cebulske was diagnosed with ovarian cancer on May 14, 2012, after using Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products since 1992.
What is Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower?
Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower are talcum-based products that have been promoted for female hygiene. Recent medical studies have indicated that use of the powders as a female hygiene product may cause talc particles to migrate through the vagina to the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries causing ovarian tumors.
Medical Studies: Link between Talc Genital Use and Ovarian Cancer
In June 2013, a study published in the medical journal Cancer Prevention Research found that women who used talc genital powder may face a 20% to 30% higher risk of ovarian cancer than those who do not.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified genital use of talc powder as a “possible carcinogen,” and the American Cancer Society has indicated women concerned about the talcum powder cancer risk may want to avoid these products.
Talc Ovarian Cancer Lawsuits
In April 2014, a talcum powder class action lawsuit was filed against Johnson & Johnson, alleging that the company failed to adequately warn consumers about the potential risk of ovarian cancer from Johnson’s Baby Powder. Plaintiffs in that case maintain that talcum baby powder is not safe for use as a feminine hygiene product, and that Johnson & Johnson has withheld information about the link to ovarian cancer for decades.
In October 2013, a South Dakota jury found that Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn about the risk of ovarian cancer from talcum powder products. The woman was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 after using Shower-to-Shower body powder for 30 years.
Cebulske raises similar allegations to those brought by other women, pursuing claims for failure to warn, negligence, breach of warranty, and civil conspiracy. She is seeking compensatory damages in excess of $350,000.