Have you used talcum powder and if so are you at risk?
It is hard to imagine that the issue of ovarian cancer in women is being caused by the use of talcum powder. If you’ve been watching the television or listening to the radio at all these days, you must have heard about it in either an advertisement from a law firm or perhaps in coverage from your local or national news. The fact of the matter is that use of talcum powder this is a real and big matter. If you used talcum powder regularly you should be vigilant and see your physician to get tested. Dr. Daniel W. Cramer conducted a study on this topic which concluded that women who used talcum powder on a regular basis were two to three times more likely to contract the disease. Dr. Cramer is Harvard educated and is the head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
To date, there have been over 2,400 claims filed and pending on this issue. The central point is that is that the manufacturer, Johnson and Johnson, was aware of the potential risks along with their talc supplier, Imerys Talc America. Facts have shown that talc is a potential carcinogen and further that these firms knew this risk yet failed to notify consumers.
According to Drug Watch, the legal matter is serious for the manufacturer having lost major cases, some with damages awarded for more than $100MM. In a report by the Chicago Tribune in late August of 2017 confirms Drug Watch’s report and elaborates that there have been numerous successful claims made against the manufacturer. One very notable point the Chicago Tribune’s article makes is that in New Jersey two cases, “were thrown out by a judge who said the plaintiff’s lawyers did not present reliable evidence linking talc to ovarian cancer.” This seems to be a misgiving of justice since in the same article it is reported that there are decades of documentation demonstrating that the risks of using the mineral talc had a direct connection to the formation of cancer, and they used it anyway, without notifying the public. The article concludes with the statement that Johnson and Johnson intend to defend themselves at numerous upcoming trials on this matter.
There are many detractors to this argument which is certain to make the issue more difficult as each side of the argument works to make their case. For example, in a Washington Post article, the case certainly has some people feeling more skeptical. The article quotes Amanda Fader, a gynecologic oncologist at Johns Hopkins University who states that there isn’t enough scientific literature to support a strong association between ovarian cancers or to connect the use of talc to the disease on a case-specific basis. The Post article also has questioning statements from the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society questioning the depth of research, correlation and knowledge on the topic.
So what does this mean?
It means that this is a complex and technical matter which Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLC. is very well equipped to handle. You need a skilled and well-equipped team of legal experts to help you find your way through this complicated matter. Call us for a free case evaluation today at 800-300-0909.
