A jury has recently ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay a woman's family $72 million as settlement for a talc cancer case. Jackie Fox from Alabama died of ovarian cancer in March 2013, but she had an existing civil lawsuit that claimed Johnson & Johnson's talc powder contributed to the development of her disease.
CBS News reports that Fox's son, Marvin Salter, has handled the case since her death and 60 other people have supposedly come forward to support the claims. The jury's decision is causing an alarm among consumers especially since talc is commonly used in many homes.
Following the decision, Johnson & Johnson issued a fact guide about talc safety, where it reiterated that their product is safe for use and that doesn't contain any ingredients that could lead to cancer.
The CDC also does not list any harmful ingredients for talc powder, but the agency stated in its International Chemical Safety Cards that it could affect the lungs, which may then cause "talc pneumoconiosis" when a person is exposed for long term.
Meanwhile, the American Cancer Society also does not state that talc has carcinogen. "For any individual woman, if there is an increased risk, the overall increase is likely to be very small," the ACS stated in its talc safety guide. "Still, talc is widely used in many products, so it is important to determine if the increased risk is real. Research in this area still continues."
Talc or talcum powder is composed of a chemical solution called hydrated magnesium silicate. Johnson & Johnson said that this is a stable substance, which has been used in many cosmetic products for years. It should be noted that talc may also be found in many food products, per the Food and Drug Administration, however, the agency assures it is generally safe for use.
