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A bedroom mirror reflects a young woman, hand on her arm, facing a worn teddy bear and plastic bottle of Johnson's baby powder. The 1980s advertisement claims “It's a feeling you never outgrow. The powder that kept you feeling soft as a baby keeps you feeling soft today. Johnson's baby powder. It's the softest powder there is.” Alleged “softness” aside, recent studies have shown genital use of powder is linked with 44 percent higher risk for ovarian cancer.
A number of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson have brought the cancerous risks of talc (the main ingredient in Johnson's Baby Powder) to the public's attention. 49 year-old Deane Berg of Sioux Falls, S.D., an everyday user of the product for over 30 years, understood the talcum powder as the probable cause of her advanced ovarian cancer almost immediately.
Berg was not alone in her suspicion. Thousands of women have filed lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson with similar concerns. Yet despite the many claims against this supposedly “safe” product, the consumer product super giant maintains the safety of talcum based baby powder, citing research that frees talc of any cancer risk and dismissing studies that imply otherwise. The company plans to appeal both the $55 million in damages awarded to a cancer survivor in May and a $72 million award in February.
While talc's carcinogen status is still being studied, the risk of Johnson & Johnson's baby powder product outweighs the reward. Unlike other carcinogens cited on the American Cancer Society's website, talcum powder is hardly necessary. Johnson & Johnson's defense of the product puts women at a 35% increased risk of ovarian cancer, a disease that kills 14,000 women annually.
Hurley McKenna & Mertz advocates for families and victims, like Deane Berg. With more than 75 years of combined experience, our Chicago, Illinois product liability attorneys can provide the skills, knowledge, and resources to help you and your loved ones pursue the compensation you deserve. Obtain dedicated and aggressive representation by calling [[phone]] to schedule your free consultation today.
SOURCES:
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/talcum-powder-and-cancer
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