Johnson & Johnson has been hit with another baby powder class action lawsuit regarding the alleged carcinogenic nature of their popular Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder.

This baby powder class action lawsuit was filed by plaintiff Barbara Mihalich on May 23. Milhalich is concerned with Johnson & Johnson’s apparent disinterest in warning their customers of the mounting scientific reports that link use of Johnson & Johnson baby powder with an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Mihalich is not seeking monetary compensation for personal damages or physical harm. Instead, as a consumer of Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and other Johnson & Johnson products, she is concerned with the company’s business practices.

The talc powder class action lawsuit seeks injunctive relief under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and to stop Johnson & Johnson from engaging in “deceptive and fraudulent commercial practices.”

This is not the only statewide baby powder cancer class action lawsuit being litigated this year. Recently, Cancer Prevention Research published a study that stated that women who use any kind of talc product on their genitals have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer by 20 percent to 30 percent.

In light of this information and other talc powder side effects reported by female consumers, many women are choosing to join baby powder class action lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson.

History of Johnson Baby Powder

Johnson & Johnson has been manufacturing, marketing, and selling their baby powder since 1893. While baby powder has several uses, Johnson’s has marketed their product as safe for daily use on infants’ and women’s genital areas.

Johnson & Johnson’s advertises that Johnson’s Baby Powder is “intended to eliminate friction on the skin and to absorb unwanted excess moisture for both babies and women,” and ultimately mask oders and maintain a clean, fresh feeling in the applied area of the body.

Research Linking Talc Baby Powder to Increased Risk of Cancer

Since the early 1960s, several researchers have conducted studies that demonstrate a causal link between consumer use of talc products and increased ovarian cancer. Specifically, these studies demonstrated how talc powder, when applied to a woman’s genital area, was likely to migrate to an individual’s ovaries. A study published 1971 discovered various talc particles deeply embedded in 10 out 13 ovarian tumors, demonstrating significant evidence that talc powder will increase the likelihood of a woman developing ovarian cancer.

Since the 1971 study, 21 additional research studies have collected data confirming the original hypothesis made over 50 years ago that talc powder has and will increase a person’s risk for developing ovarian cancer. These studies are not limited to the United States, as many have also been conducted in other countries where Johnson’s Baby Powder and other types of talc powders are sold.

Although Johnson & Johnson claims to promote a company image as a “safe and trusted family brand,” the company has yet to acknowledge publicly an increased risk for ovarian cancer in female consumers and have not changed the warning labels and advertising to reflect this potential health hazard.