$417 Million J&J Baby Powder Cancer Verdict Hits Drug Giant

A jury has awarded a woman who developed ovarian cancer $417 million against Johnson & Johnson. However, the drug company is appealing the J&J Baby Powder cancer verdict.

The woman, Eva Echeverria, a 63-year-old from Los Angeles used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder since she was 11 for feminine hygiene. This week a jury awarded her $417 million in compensation.

It’s a big verdict that has rattled J&J, one of the largest drug companies in the country. Hundreds of further cases are pending over Baby Powder in California and thousands are pending in federal court.

Last year a jury in Missouri awarded $72 million to a woman with ovarian cancer.

The women in these cases say they were not warned of the risks of using talcum powder. Echeverria told the court she would not have used the product if it contained a warning label.

J&J Bany Powder Cancer Verdict – Cooper Hurley’s John Cooper talks about the link

An article on CNN noted J&J has no legal obligation to put a warning on Baby Powder. Talc is considered a cosmetic. It does not have to undergo a review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the same way as a drug.

However, the product must be correctly labeled with ingredients and other relevant information. It must also be safe for consumers.

The report noted a number of other talc-based powders on the market carry labels that mention a possible risk of ovarian cancer following frequent application to the female genital area.

The Implications of the $417 Million J&J Baby Powder Cancer Verdict

Although J&J is set to fight the California verdict, it reinforces the fact juries are convinced that talc is causing ovarian cancer.

We noted on our website that talcum powder is made from a soft mineral called hydrous magnesium silicate.

Some experts argue it shares chemical similarities to asbestos, which can cause a deadly form of lung cancer called mesothelioma. Some studies suggested tiny particles traveled up through the genital tract and were found deep inside the pelvis.

The CNN report alluded to mixed results in studies in recent years. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies the use of talc-based body powder on the genital areas as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

Johnson & Johnson confirmed it will begin the appeals process in the California case.

Ovarian cancer is a devastating disease. Our thoughts are with those women who contracted it. The thought that their conditions may have been linked with a seemingly-innocuous product like talc is truly alarming.

If you believe ovarian cancer may be linked to talcum powder, it’s important to join the lawsuits as soon as possible. Please contact our experienced Virginia dangerous products attorneys as soon as possible at (757) 333-3333.