As talc powder lawsuits continue to be filed against the manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, new data suggests that the mega company targeted specific groups of women in marketing their baby powder product.
A group of 15 women and the estates of two women are the latest to file lawsuits against J&J over its talc products. The women’s ages range from late 20s to 65 years.
The complaints say J&J marketed some talcum powders specifically for female genital use even when it knew of the ovarian cancer risks. There are more than 20 studies, some dating back 40 years that show a significant increase in risk of ovarian cancer with talcum powder use in the genital area, the suit said.
According to legal documents, the baby powder maker also targeted specific groups of women, particularly African-American, Hispanic, and obese women.
There are now more than 1,000 lawsuits pending against Johnson & Johnson. While the company has continued to dispute any link between their talc powder product and ovarian cancer, there is evidence of just such a link dating back to 1982.
As in other civil lawsuits in which a company’s profit margin dictated the marketing campaign, these talc lawsuits contend that Johnson & Johnson knew about the risks posed to women using baby powder but chose to ignore it because of the product’s popularity and profit potential.