Boston Injury Lawyer Blog
Johnson & Johnson is under fire again, only months after the company was ordered to pay $72 million to the family of a woman who died after using its talcum-powder based products. Studies have shown a link between ovarian cancer and the use of talcum powder, specifically in the genital area. The newest claimant is a Los Angeles man by the name of Soren Threadgill who filed a wrongful death claim following his wife’s death from ovarian cancer. Contact a Boston Personal Injury Lawyer Today.
Several pending lawsuits claim that Johnson & Johnson knew about the cancer risk but failed to warn consumers or stop marketing its talcum-powder based products. More than 1,000 lawsuits have been filed against the company, and more are likely to follow. Threadgill claims that his wife used Johnson & Johnson products, such as Shower to Shower, for 25 years. In 1998, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and she succumbed to the disease in 2012.
Johnson & Johnson May Have Known About the Cancer Risk for More than 20 Years
According to Threadgill’s filing, Johnson & Johnson was notified of the “serious risk of ovarian cancer” by the Cancer Prevention Coalition in 1994. Furthermore, an internal memo from a medical consultant for Johnson & Johnson said “anybody who denies” the risk is “denying the obvious in the face of all evidence to the contrary.” This internal memo was released in 1997, one year before Threadgill’s wife was diagnosed with cancer.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (ARC), the use of talcum powder-based products in the genital area is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
As of today, Johnson & Johnson hasn’t responded to Threadgill’s lawsuit.
Ovarian Cancer Symptoms
If you develop any of these symptoms after using talc-based products, contact your health care provider immediately.
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Vaginal bleeding not associated with a menstrual period
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Back pain
- Excessive bloating
- A feeling of fullness while eating
- Excessive / urgent urination
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
Any of the above symptoms can be caused by multiple health conditions, many of them not serious. However, if you are concerned about medical problems, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you have several of these symptoms, or if any of the symptoms last longer than two weeks, see your doctor right away. Time is of the essence. Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but when detected early, the survival rate is significantly higher.
Altman & Altman, LLP – Boston’s Premier Personal Injury Law Firm
If you have developed ovarian cancer or other medical complications after using talcum powder, it is in your best interest to contact a personal injury attorney immediately. You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. If Johnson & Johnson was aware of the cancer link but failed to warn consumers, they should be held accountable for their actions. It is still unknown how many women may have died from ovarian cancer after using talcum-powder based products, but the lawsuits will likely continue to rise. If you’ve been harmed, we can help. Don’t go through this alone. Contact Altman & Altman, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.
