Goodbye to talcum powder and hello to cornstarch.. The harvest of 38,000 cases against Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson announced Thursday that it will stop selling talc-based baby powder worldwide in 2023, so what are the reasons for this decision?

What exactly is talcum powder?

Is it carcinogenic?

What is the alternative that the company will offer?

What is talcum powder?

Talcum Powder is a powder made from talc, a mineral composed mainly of magnesium, silicon, and oxygen. This powder absorbs moisture well and helps reduce friction, making it useful in keeping the skin dry and preventing breakouts.

Talc is widely used in cosmetics, such as baby powder and adult body and face powders, as well as in a number of other consumer products, according to the American Cancer Society website.

Does talcum powder cause cancer?

The American Cancer Society says that some talc in its natural form contains asbestos, a substance known to cause cancers in and around the lungs when inhaled.

In 1976, the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Perfume Association (CTFA), a trade association representing the cosmetics and personal care products industry, issued voluntary guidelines stating that all talc used in cosmetics in the United States must be free from detectable amounts of asbestos. According to their standards.

It is important to distinguish between asbestos-containing and asbestos-free talc.

Talc containing asbestos in general may cause cancer if inhaled, while talc without asbestos causes cancer less clearly.

What do studies say about talc and cancer?

Studies that exposed laboratory animals (rats, mice, and hamsters) to asbestos-free talc in different ways showed mixed results, with some showing tumor formation and others finding none.

What do studies say about talc and ovarian cancer?

It has been suggested that talcum powder may cause cancer of the ovaries if the powder particles (applied to the genital area or to sanitary pads) travel through the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes to the ovaries.

Several studies of women have looked at the possible link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer, and results have been mixed, with some studies reporting a small increase in risk, and some not reporting an increase.

Several case-control studies have found a small increase in risk, but these types of studies can be biased because they are often based on the memory of a person who used talc several years ago.

Prospective cohort studies, another type of study that would not have the same type of potential bias, did not find a significant increase in the overall risk of ovarian cancer.

However, some have suggested possible increased risks in certain groups of women, or in certain types of ovarian cancer.

One problem with these studies is that ovarian cancer is not common, which is why even the largest studies conducted to date may not have been large enough to detect a very small, if any, increased risk, according to the American Cancer Society.

What do studies say about talc and lung cancer?

An increased risk of lung cancer has not been reported with the use of cosmetic talcum powder.

What do studies say about talc and other cancers?

Talc use has not been strongly linked with other cancers, although not all possible links with other cancers have been extensively studied.

One study suggested that using genital talcum powder may slightly increase the risk of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women, but other studies have not found such an association, and more studies are needed to explore this topic. .

Some limited research has also looked at the possible link between inhaling talc at work and other types of cancer, such as stomach cancer.

But there is no solid evidence for such links at present.

What does the International Agency for Research on Cancer say about talc and cancer?

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - part of the World Health Organization (WHO) - classifies talc that contains asbestos as a "human carcinogen".

Based on limited evidence from human studies of a link to ovarian cancer, this international agency classifies the use of talc-based powder on the genitals as "possibly carcinogenic to humans".

What alternative to talcum powder will you use Johnson & Johnson?

“As part of our global portfolio assessment, we have made a commercial decision to move to a line of baby powders based on cornstarch,” Johnson & Johnson said, adding that the cornstarch based baby powder is already sold in countries around the world.

How many lawsuits have been filed against Johnson & Johnson because of talcum powder?

The company is facing about 38,000 lawsuits from consumers and survivors who allege that talc products caused cancer due to asbestos contamination.

But Johnson & Johnson denies the allegations, saying decades of scientific testing and regulatory approvals have shown talc to be safe and free of asbestos.

Is there asbestos in talcum powder?

found

that Johnson & Johnson had known for decades that asbestos was in talc products.

Internal company records and other evidence have shown that from at least 1971 through the early 2000s, test results for raw and finished Johnson & Johnson talcum powders sometimes indicated the presence of small amounts of asbestos.

Johnson & Johnson has repeatedly responded to evidence that its talc products are safe and do not cause cancer.

What is the value of the lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson?

The company faced costs of about $3.5 billion in judgments and settlements, including a judgment in which 22 women were awarded more than $2 billion.

Where did the compensation case go?

Johnson & Johnson separated from its subsidiary LTL Management last October, assigned its talc claims and immediately declared bankruptcy, temporarily halting pending lawsuits.

Ben Whiting, a lawyer for the plaintiff's company, Keeler Postman, said that because lawsuits are temporarily suspended in the event of bankruptcy, the company's sales decision will not affect it immediately, but if the federal appeals court allows the cases to move forward, consumers can try to use Johnson & Johnson's decision to withdraw Products are evidence, Whiting said, "If these issues come back again, that's a very, very big problem."