Talcum Powder Personal Injury Lawsuit Claims Talcum Powder Led to Cancer Death
A personal injury lawsuit filed in a federal court in Trenton, New Jersey alleges that a woman died from ovarian cancer caused by her life-long use of talcum powder.
The talcum powder personal injury lawsuit was filed by the estate of Janice Chakalos, who died at age 63 in 2012 after battling ovarian cancer. Her family claims that the cancer was caused by Chakalos’ lifelong use of talcum powder, specifically the after-shower powders created by Johnson & Johnson.
The lawsuit includes both Johnson & Johnson, the original manufacturers of talcum powder-based Shower to Shower, as well as Sanofi, the company that currently owns Gold Bond, the current manufacturers of the talcum powder after-shower product.
The lawsuit claims that Chakalos used the after-shower talcum powder product on her genital area since childhood, but was unaware of 24 studies, beginning in 1982, that showed a link between ovarian and uterine cancers in women and talcum powder products, especially those used in the genital area.
The first link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer was reported in a study in 1971.
Since that time, a number of studies have established a connection:
- A 1982, found a 92% increased risk of ovarian cancer in women who reported genital use of talcum powder products.
- A study from 1992, published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that weekly use of talcum powder led to a three-fold increase in ovarian cancer risk.
- A study published in a 1997 edition of American Journal of Epidemiology confirmed the link, and added that genital deodorant sprays with talcum powder could also be linked to ovarian cancer.
- In 2003, the journal Anticancer Research compiled data from 16 previous studies which involved data from 12,000 women and concluded that perineal baby powder use raised the risk of ovarian cancer later in life by 33%.
- In 2008, Harvard epidemiologist Dr. Margaret Gates reaffirmed the 2003 and 1992 studies, stating that her research led to the conclusion that weekly talcum powder use in the genital area raised the risk of developing ovarian cancer by 33%. She also specifically called out Johnson & Johnson’s product Shower to Shower, which she said could lead to a 41% increase in ovarian cancer risk with regular use. She published an addition study on the link between baby powder use and later ovarian cancer risk in 2010.
A new study suggests that miners and manufacturers do not acknowledge how often talcum powder is contaminated with asbestos during the mining process, which can lead to cancer when using talcum powder-based bath products. “We have traced the asbestos in the talc to the mines from which it originated, into the milled grades, into the product, and finally into the lung and lymph nodes of the users of those products, including one woman who developed mesothelioma,” the study reported.
The talcum powder personal injury lawsuit alleges the companies failed to warn consumers of the dangers of their after-shower products, including the risk of cancer.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Talcum Powder Personal Injury Cases
If you have been harmed, or a loved one has regularly used talcum powder and has since developed ovarian cancer, the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. You may be entitled to compensation through a talcum powder lawsuit. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.
