Talcum Powder Is Carcinogenic. Truth Or Myth?
Did you know that talcum powder is carcinogenic? Because it hid this information, Johnson & Johnson will have to pay $417 million in damages. Eva Echeverría, a 63-year-old woman, claims that the reason she got ovarian cancer is because she applied talcum powder to her intimate area.
The victim explained that he started using talcum powder produced by Johnson & Johnson (Johnson’s Baby Powder) when he was 11 years old. In 2007, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had to undergo surgery. Unfortunately, the disease had reached its terminal stages.
Therefore, the jurors decided that Johnson & Johnson must pay the victim compensatory damages amounting to 70 million dollars. To this amount is added punitive damages amounting to $347 million.
The applicant’s lawyer, Mark Robinson, stated that Echeverría was satisfied with the verdict. According to him, Johnson & Johnson hid the fact that talcum powder has been carcinogenic for decades.
The hidden risks of talcum powder
During the trial, Eva Echeverría cited a study conducted in 1982 by a team of researchers led by Daniel W. Cramer. According to the study, the risk of developing ovarian cancer in women who use talcum powder increases by 92%.
Since then, Johnson & Johnson have been asked to put a warning on the packaging of their product about the potential danger of talcum powder. Unfortunately, the company ignored this request.
Echeverría’s action is not the first such lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, which is based in New Jersey. According to the Los Angeles Times , the company is currently dealing with 300 lawsuits in California alone.
Nationwide, Johnson & Johnson faces 4,500 lawsuits in the United States. Thousands of women claim to have developed ovarian cancer because they used talcum powder to remove vaginal odors.
The company has already lost $300 million in 4 of the five lawsuits filed against it in the state of Missouri. But Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal. Its representatives want to prove that their product is of superior quality and safe.
But the question remains: is talcum powder carcinogenic?
It is not new that this product is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has included the application of talcum powder to the intimate region on the list of “possible causes of cancer”.
But Ovacome, an NGO that helps patients with ovarian cancer, has a different opinion. They claim that there is still not enough evidence to label talcum powder as a carcinogen. If it were that dangerous, then one in three women would get cancer.
Why is it said that talcum powder can be carcinogenic?
The basis of this idea is the ingredients used in the manufacture of talcum powder. It is prepared with magnesium silicate, a mineral that contains asbestos.
In addition to causing various respiratory problems, asbestos has a carcinogenic effect that has been studied since 1971. Therefore, regulations recommend replacing this ingredient with corn starch.
Talcum powder has been used for babies since the 1970s. But many say the research has not been thorough enough. In addition, they often took into account the statements of the subjects regarding the amount of powder used, which may be inaccurate.
Many studies have shown that there is no link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer. Others compared it to cigarettes. The more frequently you use it, the higher your risk of getting sick.
However, we advise you to be very careful! Vaginal showers can double your risk of developing ovarian cancer.
How can you protect yourself against ovarian cancer?
When it comes to its evaluation, talcum powder is treated as a cosmetic product. Thus, government agencies do not analyze it in as much detail as food or pharmaceuticals.
The market is flooded with so-called cosmetics that, in reality, endanger our health. Despite the controversy, talcum powder is carcinogenic. It is best to opt for natural alternatives that do not contain toxins.
