According to the newspaper El Mundo, the Johnson & Johnson company has been ordered to pay 353 million euros to a woman in Los Angeles who accuses them of getting sick of ovarian cancer after decades using talcum powder of this brand.
The plaintiff, who suffers from terminal cancer, decided to denounce with the objective of help other women to know the serious risks which involves the use of talcum powder as part of hygiene, and requires the company to include this warning in the product labeling.
Talcum powder and its relationship with ovarian cancer
Many women use talcum powder for your daily genital hygiene or to prevent rubbing and sweating, without being aware of the health risk that this practice seems to have, according to studies.
Researchers at the Pittsburgh School of Medicine published in 2005 a study in which they suggested that women who do not use talcum powder as part of their hygiene are less likely to develop ovarian cancer.According to an article published in The New York Times, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified talcum powder as a "possible human carcinogenic product "if used in the female genital area, but until then, no measures have been taken to remove it from the market or add a warning on the products.
For its part, Time magazine warns that the American Oncology Society notes that talc, in its natural form, may contain asbestos, a known carcinogenic substance that may be present in cosmetic and hygiene products.
The American Food and Drug Federation (FDA) does not allow talcum-based products to contain asbestos, but has no obligation to review the cosmetics, so that There are no guarantees that they have not been contaminated.
Time's article echoes the research conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, where they have seen that There is a clear relationship between women with ovarian cancer and the use of talcum powder.
"We know that it is a possible risk factor, but we don't know how important it is" - the researchers point out.
according to the studies, everything indicates that the particles present in talcum powder travel through the mucous membranes of the vaginal canal and end up in the ovaries, causing inflammation and eventually the onset of cancer.
More than 5,000 millionaire lawsuits
Johnson & Johnson says that its talcum based products are asbestos free, and cites several studies where the increase in ovarian cancer is not related to the use of this mineral. Therefore, the company has decided to appeal the lawsuit, although It is not the first one to receive for this cause.
A year ago, the pharmaceutical company had to pay 47 million euros to another woman who also denounced them when, after undergoing a hysterectomy to curb the cancer she suffered, Doctors found talc in their ovarian tissue.
The woman, who for many years had used talcum powder as part of her daily hygiene, filed a lawsuit against the company for having hidden consumers the risks that this product could have.
Again in 2015, Johnson & Johnson was sentenced to pay 62 million euros to the family of another American woman who also died of cancer after prolonged use of talc.
But these three cases are not, unfortunately, isolated events since, as reported by the media, 5,000 lawsuits are pending against the company linked to cancer cases for the use of talcum powder in genital hygiene.
Why its use in babies is not recommended either
Talc is a mineral that absorbs moisture from the skin, reduces friction and prevents skin rashes. For years, the use of talcum powder has been linked to the cleaning and hygiene of the baby's ass and genital area, until doctors advised against its useThe Spanish Association of Pediatrics (AEP) discourages talcum powder to treat diaper rash because "if a wound occurs, the dust can penetrate it and produce a rejection of the skin with increased inflammation."
On the other hand, both the National Library of the United States and the American Academy of Pediatrics report the risks that the use of talcum powder may have when penetrating the baby's lungs and causing asthma or, in more severe cases, a inhalation poisoning
However ... it is still selling
Despite medical recommendations that discourage its use in babies, and studies that classify talcum powder as a possible human carcinogenic product If used in the genital area, talcum powder continues to be sold and some continue to use it as part of daily hygiene.
It is not uncommon to find this product on the shelves of supermarkets, pharmacies or to be able to buy it through the Internet.
- IStock Photos
- Via Time, New York Times, The World, ABC
- In Babies and more, where were the talcum powder? Talcum powder for diaper change? No, thanks, Talcum powder poisoning
