Health issues

‘Ticking time bomb’: Lawyer warns talc linked to ‘thousands’ of deadly cancer cases

Jun 23, 2018

An American lawyer believes the powder could be linked to 'thousands' of cases. Source: Getty.

It was a bathroom staple in the 1960s and 70s and many of us no doubt still have a bottle or two left gathering dust at the back of the cupboard, but now a lawyer is warning that talcum powder could be linked to “thousands” of cases of life-threatening cancer.

British solicitor Philip Gower believes there is a “ticking time bomb” of cancer among middle-aged women who may not yet be aware of their potentially fatal diagnosis, caused by excessive use of talcum powder sold on the high street.

Mr. Gower told the Daily Mail that he fears thousands of women in the UK could be faced with a life-threatening cancer diagnosis in the near future, directly linked to their use of the cosmetic product which was hugely popular in the 60s and 70s.

Talc, the world’s softest mineral, is often found near deposits of asbestos, another mineral that’s a known carcinogen, and some studies had shown a risk of the talc being contaminated by asbestos during the mining process, particularly in processes used in the past.

Mr Gower, who estimates thousands of British men and women have been affected, told MailOnline: “It’s a massive scandal and is only going to get bigger. There is a big problem out there. So far we are just scratching the surface. This is a ticking timebomb.

“We believe many women were unaware that using talcum powder could have been bad for them and some of them are now seriously ill. Others have unfortunately died and their families only found out about the potential link afterwards”

The warning comes after a man in New Jersey won an enormous million payout of $37 million (AU$49.7M) in April this year, after successfully claiming that his mesothelioma – a form of cancer often associated with asbestos workers – was caused by using Johnson & Johnson baby powder for more than 30 years.

Stephen Lanzo was awarded $30 million, and his wife $7 million, after a court ruled that his aggressive form of cancer was in fact linked to the popular cosmetic product.

Consumer goods giant J & J continues to face thousands of similar cases, including a case in Missouri in 2017 where a woman was awarded US$110 million in compensation after claiming that she developed ovarian cancer after using talc products for feminine hygiene for 40 years.

Mr Gower, an expert on asbestos related mesothelioma, added: “People are rightly worried and concerned. It was an incredibly popular product among women just a few decades ago and now unfortunately they and their children are paying the price.They should have been told about the risks but they were kept in the dark.”

Mr Gower, of Simpson Millar solicitors, has teamed up with a US attorney, who has a string of court victories for women with talc-related cancer under his belt.