You Put This On Your Baby All The Time…But Could It Cause Cancer?

On October 27, 2016, a jury awarded a woman $70 million in a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. She claims that the chronic use of their baby powder led to the development of her ovarian cancer.

The case was brought forth by Deborah Giannecchini. However, the California woman isn’t the only one who says that the talcum powder causes cancer. Earlier this year, two other women were awarded a combined $127 million in damages. Is baby powder really this dangerous?

Johnson & Johnson has been a leading manufacturer of baby products since 1893. In 1981, The New York Times reported the brand to be “exceptionally pure and safe.”

However, babies aren’t the only ones who Johnson’s Baby Powder is for. The product has also been marketed to women as a way to stay fresh and dry, particularly in the genital region.

A statement from the company reads: “We deeply sympathize with the women and families impacted by ovarian cancer. We will appeal today’s verdict because we are guided by the science, which supports the safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder.”

There are many causes of ovarian cancer, including genetics, age, weight, and race. However, attorney Jim Onder claims that case studies have proven that women who use Johnson’s Baby Powder are 40 percent more likely to develop ovarian cancer.

He also says that Johnson & Johnson’s marketing has targeted women who are obese, African-American, or Hispanic, which are populations that already have a heightened risk for ovarian cancer.

This begs the question: If Johnson’s Baby Powder can cause cancer in adult women, what is it doing to our babies?

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And what about the other Johnson & Johnson products we lather all over our kids (and ourselves)? Are they safe? As of now, more testing has to be done before we’ll know for sure.

In the meantime, will you continue using Johnson & Johnson products on yourself or your child? Let us know in the comments!