Particles of Talc Can Be Found Trapped in The Lungs and Ovaries of Individuals With Cancer

Talc is an organic mineral that can cause long-term irritation in human tissue leading to the development of cancer

Thursday, October 10, 2019 - Not only are plaintiffs arguing that Johnson's Baby Powder contains asbestos, but they are also claiming that the mineral talc can lead to cancer. Doctors and scientists that have conducted tests on women with ovarian cancer and also mesothelioma have found particles of talc in their ovaries and the lungs. Recently, expert witnesses testifying on behalf of the plaintiff Teresa Leavitt uncovered particles of talc and asbestos in the woman's lung tissue. The plaintiff's attorneys backtracked through Ms. Leavitt's past and concluded that inhaling talcum powder dust was the only way she could have been exposed to cancerous levels of the mineral. Ms. Leavitt was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2017.

The plaintiff, like so many others before her, alleged that her consistent, regular and life-long use of talcum powder all over her body was the cause of her mesothelioma and that executives at Johnson & Johnson have known for decades that their talc supply was contaminated with asbestos. Leavitt was said to have used Johnson's Baby Powder extensively throughout her adult life for over 30 years. Johnson's Baby Powder's bottle design forces a user to squeeze the soft plastic bottle and cause the powder to gush out creating a cloud of breathable dust in the process. Users look for the iconic smell of the baby powder fragrance and if you can smell it you have inhaled it. Talcum powder cancer lawsuits are handled by top national attorneys representing American consumers harmed by asbestos in Johnson and Johnson's talcum powder and will give a free consultation and represent those eligible to file a claim on a contingency basis.

Medical experts have testified that particles of talc found in the ovaries or lungs get trapped and do not break down causing years of irritation that can lead to cancer. One plaintiff expert witness, Daniel Clarke-Pearson, a Gynecologic Oncologist and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, has testified that "Genital application of powder increases risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in all women and can cause epithelial ovarian cancer in some women," according to the Penn Record." Clark also told the court "particles of talc enter the vagina and migrate into the ovaries through the Fallopian tubes and incite an inflammatory process that includes oxidative stress and specific genetic mutations."

In March of 2019 Teresa Leavitt was awarded $29 million ($22 million for pain and suffering) for mesothelioma she suffers from due to inhaling Johnson's Baby Powder. According to the New York Times, "the jury found that Johnson & Johnson knew about the potential risks that its baby powder was contaminated, but failed to warn the woman." Jurors were presented with evidence in the form of company memos and an investigative report by The Times that indicated that the company knew their talc supply contained asbestos and discussed how best to keep this damning information from the public.

Talc's asbestos contamination has escaped the public's awareness over the decades due to Johnson's Baby Powder being classified as a cosmetic product rather than a food or drug by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Because of that designation, the FDA does not wield product testing or recall authority over thousands of cosmetic products that we are now finding are cancer-causing.