Another woman gets mega payout over baby powder

A US judge has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay millions to a woman after finding there was sufficient evidence the company’s baby powder caused her ovarian cancer.

Lois Slemp will receive US$110 million (AU$148 million) from the health care giant, after she joined thousands of others suing the company for allegedly causing their cancer.

Slemp had used Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower Powder for over 40 years and claimed her ovarian cancer, which later spread to her liver, was caused by the popular product.

It’s not the first time the company has had to pay up since claims linking talcum powder and cancer emerged. Last year, they were forced to deliver $US72 million ($97 million) to the family of US woman Jacqueline Fox after she died from ovarian cancer.

A pathologist told the court Fox’s ovaries were inflamed from talc, which then turned into cancer.

While there have been numerous studies on the issue, results directly linking talcum powder to cancer have been varied.

Some studies found talcum powder caused a slight increased risk of cancer, while others found no increased risk at all. Scientifically, there is not enough conclusive evidence to link the two.

However, it hasn’t stopped the courts from awarding damages to numerous women.

Johnson & Johnson released a statement following Slemp’s win today, saying while they sympathised with ovarian cancer victims, they would appeal the decision.

“We are preparing for additional trials this year and we continue to defend the safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder,” they said.

Do you use talcum powder as a hygiene product? Did you used to use it on your children when they were babies?