A jury in the US has decided that talcum powder causes ovarian cancer and as a result they have awarded a woman’s family one hundred million dollars damages against Johnson & Johnson.
She is the first in a class action of 1,200 people.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/cancer-council-responds-to-talcum-powder-case/7200220
Peak Warming Man said:
A jury in the US has decided that talcum powder causes ovarian cancer and as a result they have awarded a woman’s family one hundred million dollars damages against Johnson & Johnson.
She is the first in a class action of 1,200 people.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/cancer-council-responds-to-talcum-powder-case/7200220
isn’t that down to contaminants in the talcum?
I didn’t think this was a new story. I remember hearing a possible correlation years ago. Unsurprisingly, I was given some baby powder for my baby shower and I was doing some research. One baby website said there was no current scientific evidence saying talc definitively causes cancer, but there may be a correlation and if you’re in doubt, don’t use it.
I’m sure there was a similar lawsuit years ago from a woman who put talc in her undies every day and ended up with ovarian cancer.
Um, as the news item you’ve linked to makes plain, Talcum Powder Almost Certainly Doesn’t Cause Ovarian Cancer
An advisor to the Cancer Council Australia, Professor Bernard Stewart from the Medical Faculty at the University of New South Wales, agrees that evidence of a link between ovarian cancer and the use of talc is slim at best.“It’s been recognised that there is some slight evidence that prenatal use of talcum powder by women may be associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer,” he said.
“But the evidence is so tenuous that it hasn’t justified any health authority in the world, to my knowledge, coming out with broad advice to women as a whole, or placing a warning label on talcum powder products or anything like that.”
Professor Stewart said Australian women “should almost set the matter aside”.
“The court decision is a jury award of damages in an emotive situation of an individual woman who has ovarian cancer – a tragedy in itself.
“But in such contexts, courts of law are no places to resolve public health issues.”
Professor Stewart said the link between ovarian cancer and the use of talcum powder came from inconsistent studies.
“There are some studies that are simply negative,” he said.
“Of the studies that are positive, some show an inverse association, that is the highest risk associated with the least usage of the powder, which is the reverse of what you expect.
An advisor to the Cancer Council Australia, Professor Bernard Stewart from the Medical Faculty at the University of New South Wales, agrees that evidence of a link between ovarian cancer and the use of talc is slim at best.
“It’s been recognised that there is some slight evidence that prenatal use of talcum powder by women may be associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer,” he said.
“But the evidence is so tenuous that it hasn’t justified any health authority in the world, to my knowledge, coming out with broad advice to women as a whole, or placing a warning label on talcum powder products or anything like that.”
Professor Stewart said Australian women “should almost set the matter aside”.
“The court decision is a jury award of damages in an emotive situation of an individual woman who has ovarian cancer – a tragedy in itself.
“But in such contexts, courts of law are no places to resolve public health issues.”
roughbarked said:
Peak Warming Man said:
A jury in the US has decided that talcum powder causes ovarian cancer and as a result they have awarded a woman’s family one hundred million dollars damages against Johnson & Johnson.
She is the first in a class action of 1,200 people.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/cancer-council-responds-to-talcum-powder-case/7200220
isn’t that down to contaminants in the talcum?
No, talc old powder particles were discovered in the deceased ovaries. Experts are dubious on the outcome of this finding as was reported on tv b/c may have caused cancer rather than did cause cancer was the findings.
monkey skipper said:
roughbarked said:
Peak Warming Man said:
A jury in the US has decided that talcum powder causes ovarian cancer and as a result they have awarded a woman’s family one hundred million dollars damages against Johnson & Johnson.
She is the first in a class action of 1,200 people.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/cancer-council-responds-to-talcum-powder-case/7200220
isn’t that down to contaminants in the talcum?
No, talc old powder particles were discovered in the deceased ovaries. Experts are dubious on the outcome of this finding as was reported on tv b/c may have caused cancer rather than did cause cancer was the findings.
This may be what I’m remembering.
Divine Angel said:
monkey skipper said:
roughbarked said:isn’t that down to contaminants in the talcum?
No, talc old powder particles were discovered in the deceased ovaries. Experts are dubious on the outcome of this finding as was reported on tv b/c may have caused cancer rather than did cause cancer was the findings.
This may be what I’m remembering.
Regardless though the cessation of the use page of product could be wise as the particles moved within a human body to not approved or intended places
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18287871
so what about the jury then
SCIENCE said:
so what about the jury then
All I know is that wouldn’t mind getting 100 million for tenuous evidence at best.
SCIENCE said:
so what about the jury then
They cause ovarian cancer
dv said:
SCIENCE said:
so what about the jury then
They cause ovarian cancer
I didn’t know that ovaries are found in areas where talcum powder (laminae of hydrated magnesium silicate, similar to mica and kaolin) is applied.
Several studies in women have looked at the possible link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, with mixed findings. Some studies report a slightly increased risk, while others have found no increase. The evidence is insufficient to conclude that use of talcum powder leads to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. It is also unclear how talcum powder might influence the development of ovarian cancer.
In addition, there is no evidence to suggest that talcum powder increases the risk of other types of cancer. Due to this inconclusive research evidence, talcum powder is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) aspossibly carcinogenic (cancer causing) to humans when applied to the genital area. IARC is a part of the World Health Organisation which convenes international expert working groups to evaluate the evidence of the carcinogenicity of specific exposures.
http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/86105/cancer-information/general-information-cancer-information/cancer-questions-myths/clothing-cosmetics-tattoos/there-is-inconclusive-evidence-that-using-talcum-powder-can-cause-cancer/