Johnson & Johnson’s Big Talcum Powder Cover Up

We are learning more and more about the dangers of Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder and the link between the company’s talcum powder products and ovarian cancer. But, with more lawsuits being filed, we are also learning that Johnson & Johnson specifically marketed the products to low-income Americans and minorities despite knowing about the risks the products pose. So far, two juries, both in St. Louis have handed out verdicts totaling $127 million to the families of two women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer after decades of using talcum powder for feminine hygiene purposes.

The Link Between Talc and Cancer

Talcum powder is probably one of the most well-known household products that generations of women have been using for feminine hygiene and other purposes. Talc is a mineral that contains among other elements, asbestos, which is a known carcinogen. While companies like Johnson & Johnson have never admitted the connection between talc and cancer, they’ve always known that it existed. They knew as early as the 1970s when a body of research existed showing this link.

Still, not only did they not warn their consumers about it, but they aggressively marketed the powder products to low-income and ethnic communities such as African-Americans and Latinos. Some studies that are coming out now show that the talcum powder use can increase the risk of ovarian cancer by up to 40 percent. Even those who use it for general purposes (and not feminine hygiene) could increase their risk of getting ovarian cancer by 30 percent. This is a fact that might come as a huge shock to consumers because we’ve been using it on our infants for decades.

Aggressive Marketing to Minorities

The fibers from talc could travel up through the uterus and to the ovaries where they cause cancer, according to several research studies. In the 1990s, when sales of talcum powder products dropped, J & J launched an aggressive marketing campaign targeting African Americans and Latinos believing that they would be a better target group for these products.

It is disgusting that Johnson & Johnson would target low-income and minority communities to sell a product that is known to significant increase the risk of cancer, in spite of knowing about those potential risks. There are still at least 1,200 pending talcum powder cancer lawsuits against J & J. Bisnar Chase is actively litigating talcum powder / ovarian cancer cases so that these plaintiffs get their day in court and that J & J gets held accountable for covering up the truth and exposing consumers to the risk of ovarian cancer. If you think you may have a case against J & J for failing to display warnings about talcum powder use, contact Bisnar Chase today!