Mesothelioma Patients Are Filing Claims Against Johnson & Johnson

Mesothelioma is an insidious condition making breathing increasingly difficult and eventually impossible

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 - The first of hundreds of lawsuits claiming Johnson's Baby Powder causes cancer, slated to begin this year and in the years to come, has begun and will undoubtedly focus on a specific disease, mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a scarring of the lungs caused by inhaling particles of asbestos, a known carcinogenic. Plaintiffs will claim that Johnson's Baby Powder contains asbestos and also that the company's executives have been aware of this fact for decades, failing in their duty to warn the public.

Mesothelioma develops when microscopic particles of asbestos are inhaled. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral (rock) with sharp edges even when microscopic causing tiny lacerations in the flexible lung tissue called alveoli that heal producing inelastic scar tissue. When enough of this scar tissue develops inhaling and exhaling becomes increasingly difficult and eventually impossible. It has been admitted that Johnson's talc supplier Imreys Inc. mines talc in quarries adjacent to asbestos deposits and that cross-contamination is a possibility. Johnson & Johnson executives may have been aware of this fact as early as 1971 as their legal staff wrote memos to company scientists inquiring as to what was the acceptable level of asbestos and as to whether or not their baby powder was in compliance with then-existing government asbestos regulations.

"Mesothelioma has a long latency period, and it can take decades for symptoms to emerge, making an early diagnosis difficult," according to experts at mesothelioma.com. Patients that are experiencing any of the early warning signs of mesothelioma are urged to check with their doctor immediately. Asbestos.com lists the possible early symptoms of mesothelioma as shortness of breath or chest pain when walking faster than normal or climbing stairs, a dry cough, chest tightness, and any combination of these symptoms. Persistent fever, lethargy, loss of appetite are also early signals that you may have the disease or another form of cancer.

The life expectancy of those that are diagnosed with the disease is only 12-21 months. According to Mesothelioma.com, around 40% live longer than one year while about 9% make it over five years. The reason for the short life prognosis is that mesothelioma does not show up until its later stages. As with all cancers, early detection is critical in treating the disease. There are four stages of mesothelioma. During stage one and two the disease has not spread. In stages three and beyond the disease has spread to the lymph nodes and beyond.

Because of the extended latency period from the time of ingesting or breathing asbestos fibers and mesothelioma symptoms, the potential exposure from Johnson's Baby Powder could be enormous. Early lawsuits indicate that Johnson's Baby Powder and other talc products contain trace elements of asbestos and if this is proven factual could explain the epidemic of cancer that has swept the world. If you have been recently diagnosed with mesothelioma and have used Johnson's Baby Powder religiously for decades, you should contact a Baby powder lawyer to see if you may file a monetary claim for expense reimbursement and other damages.

Information provided by TalcumPowderCancerLawsuit.com, a website devoted to providing news about talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits, as well as medical research and findings.