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Johnson & Johnson to pay $55 million (US) to woman who suffered with ovarian cancer.

A jury in St. Louis has awarded $55 million ($72m au) in damages to Gloria Ristesund, who used Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder for more than 35 years before being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2011.

CNN reports, Ristesund’s lawyers argued that Johnson & Johnson knew of possible health risks associated with talc, but failed to warn consumers.

“Internal documents from J & J show it knew of studies connecting talc use and ovarian cancer but, to this day, it continues to market it as safe — neglecting any warning,” The Onder Law Firm, which represented Ristesund, said in a statement.

Johnson & Johnson plans to appeal the verdict.

“Multiple scientific and regulatory reviews have determined that talc is safe for use in cosmetic products and the labelling on Johnson’s Baby Powder is appropriate,” Carol Goodrich, a spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson Consumer, said in a statement.

In February, a jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million to the family of Jackie Fox after she died of ovarian cancer in 2015.

There are still up to 50 cases of legal action.

As we reported in February, an Australian researcher says ‘Women should not be concerned’ – A UNSW medical researcher, and Cancer Council Australia scientific adviser, Professor Bernard Stewart told SBS News there was still no definitive link between using baby powder and developing ovarian cancer.

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  • When my kids were babies I was told by a nurse not to use Talc on them as the dust was bad for their airways. Im glad i didnt use these types of products.

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  • I try and stay away from talcum products.

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  • HOW SAD FOR THE MUM WHO DIED AND FOR jOHNSON AND JOHNSON TO PAY OUT SO MUCH SEEMS THERE MUST BE REASONABLE DOUBT THAT THIS PRODUCT CAN PRODUCE OR SPEED UP CANCER CELLS IN OUR BODIES…WE(SOME OF US) USE TALC ON BABIES FOR DRY AND FRESH SKIN SO SHOULD WE? iT IS A CONCERN AND SUCH HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IF OTHER CASES BEING SERVED IT WOULD BE BETTE TO STOP PRODUCTION. iN MY YOUNGER DAYS

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  • Why is this brand still on the market?

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  • Wow, this is really concerning. J&J is synonymous with baby products and has been a staple item of many families for longer than I can remember.

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  • If they knew something wasn’t right and didn’t do anything about it, I hope they get everything coming to them. Shameful – this is a business aimed at babies for goodness sake!

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  • I’m glad they get to pay $55 million. What company sticks harmful ingredients in baby products and keeping it secret ??!!

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  • Isn’t it disgusting that they knew of possible risks and yet didn’t let anyone know. They put profit ahead of people’s health. I use powder every night, I wonder if it’s just Johnsons talc that poses a problem or if it’s all talc? My brand new grandson has talc put on after every bath :(

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  • This is a news will cause lots of concern – need to keep an eye on what pans out next.

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  • If this talcum powder causes cancer women have been using it before I was born and that was 68 years ago. How come this has just started to happen now? How on earth could using talc do this? The payments the are awarding are ridiculous! 1 MILLION MAX IF THAT IS WHAT THE LAW DECIDES.. I AM EXTREMELY SCEPTICAL ABOUT ALL THIS diatribe. Science would have to prove to me that it caused cancer for me to believe this.


    • Johnson and Johnson have documents stating the possible link. The worst thing here is the fact they chose to keep these documents hidden. They should have alerted the public so we can make a choice! Too busy worrying about their profit margin

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  • I heard Johnson & Johnson was going to fight this verdict. I really don’t believe that talcum powder was the culprit here even though there may have been a contributing factor from it in some way. Ovarian cancer is one of those things that no-one knows for certain how it’s cause.
    What I will say is that if they don’t win their appeal it will be another firm out of business because they will be unable to afford the crippling costs and will go under similar to the Piper Aircraft.

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  • Baby powder has been around for 129 yrs, my mother has used it all her life and no adverse reaction. Like a lot of people have stated how would it get up to the ovaries. But has to be someone else’s fault and as scientific evidence has shown from the Cancer Council there is no direct link. 72 million is ridiculous. People are like sheep one does or says something and then you watch all the followers put there hand up.

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  • That’s a huge compensation. I think that a lot more people will try to make a claim now.

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  • If these people are being awarded compensation then surely it should be removed from the shelves


    • Yeah I agree. Sounds like the studies are not conclusive, but it took a very long time before the link between cancer and smoking was definitively accepted.

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  • I think it’s concerning that if Internal documents from J & J show it knew of studies connecting talc use and ovarian cancer but, to this day, it continues to market it as safe. When they choose to neglect any warning, they sure make themselves responsible in the occurrence of cancer cases…how harmful !

    Reply

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