As several studies suggest that using talcum powder could increase the chances of cancer, a woman was reported to have claimed $110.5 million from the Johnson & Johnson Company. The woman named Lois Slemp blamed the company for her ovarian cancer after her long term usage of the company’s baby powder.
According to Allure, Slemp claimed that the talcum powder contained talc. Talc was described to be a mineral powder made from magnesium, silicon, hydrogen, and oxygen. However, if the mineral isn’t purified enough, it was stated to possibly contain asbestos, a known carcinogen.
With that said, the 62-year-old woman from Virginia was noted to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer since 2012. Slemp concluded that her use of the Johnson & Johnson product for more than 40 years caused her illness. She was unable to attend the trial due to her cancer which had already spread to her liver.
Nonetheless, St. Louis jury favored Slemp and awarded her with the right to claim $110.5 million from the renowned pharmaceutical company. "We are preparing for additional trials this year and will continue to defend the safety of Johnson's Baby Powder," Carol Goodrich, a spokeswoman for Johnson & Johnson said in a statement on The Sun. The company is then set to settle an estimated 2,000 similar cases after Slemp’s lawsuit.
Aside from that, the Johnson & Johnson product also suffered another lawsuit from a woman from Modesto, California. The case goes the same for the woman named Deborah Giannecchini for she also claimed that the product had caused her ovarian cancer. Giannecchini then received more than £58 million from the health product provider company.
It was then identified that the case of Johnson & Johnson is record breaking compared to their other subsidiaries. Other companies that suffered a lawsuit and pay their plaintiffs were identified to be Aveeno with $72 million, Clean & Clear with $70.1 million and Neutrogena with the most minimum paid case of $55 million.
