Talc, Asbestos, FDA, Lawsuits Update

Talc Causes Cancer True or False?

Most of you have probably heard about the controversy over talc and its safety in personal care products. Lawsuits in the national news and headlines have made for interesting reading over the claims that talc is causing ovarian cancer in women.

For the most part science does not show causation of ovarian cancer and has been proven safe for decades in use of personal care products.

So, are the claims justified? I have personally done extensive research on this ingredient showing absolute safety and no known link to the cancer equation.

Now before you agree or disagree with me, there is a part of the equation on this matter that has come to light through discovery. This pertains to the wins and losses in the past, present and depositions for future lawsuits against J & J brand.

There is the initial summation with the first lawsuit brought by a woman that sadly, eventually died from her ovarian cancer. She claimed using Johnson and Johnson talcum powder in her private area for decades. Due to the not so “cut and dry” evidence with the first trial, this is what created doubt within the scientific community during testimony at trial.

Scientists Argue For and Against the Safety of Talc

When you review the actual research, talc is still a very safe cosmetic ingredient. Especially when used topically in makeup or body care products. Talc has even been used therapeutically for treating lung tumors interestingly enough, with great success. It is by far a superior lubricious powder for moisture absorption and to prevent friction on the body. Despite the lovely characteristics of talc, I don’t ever recommend it for the face.

Appeals are being presented repeatedly and now I see the ambulance chasing commercials to get other women to climb on board the gravy train of litigation. To prove unequivocally that the use of talc for decades caused a cancer causation is like proving a negative when it may not directly correlate to the “talc”.

Hold On Now, Here’s the Wrinkle

The FDA regulation is clear that talc cannot contain asbestos contamination since 1976. Manufacturers are responsible for making sure their mined talc is free of this harmful mineral. The FDA has even requested random testing to make sure the talc being used in personal care products did not reveal asbestos. In past tests the manufacturers they tested were all clear.

Through discovery of these lawsuits, it now comes to light that J & J talcum powder seems to have been contaminated with asbestos over many years. The testimony points to the corporation execs had knowledge of this. Not surprisingly, they did not disclose the discovery in their labeling as a warning of use, or their reports from testing. It is this discovery that opens the window into the reality of “is it talc” per se or “is it the asbestos” within the talc creating the instances of cancer in the ovaries?

I Make No Argument in this Regard

Once I learned of this unscrupulous behavior placing women at risk with their health, I became quite upset. I wholly have defended the lovely silken mineral talc. Plus I do still recommend it as the nicest body care product in terms of silken texture, but of course sans asbestos. Despite past safety for decades, I never recommended it to be used in private areas and never did so personally. After all, this area is a direct route to the blood brain barrier so use of any type of product in this region should stir caution in the mind for health sake.

As testimony and future trials come to pass, it is unfortunate that a company as large as J & J ignored safety protocols. This lack of transparency has done great harm to the trust you and I may have had when using any of their products. They of course deny the accusations and continue to appeal. However, if whomever allowed this within the company to slip by knowing full well how it was being used my many, then this attack on their brand is well deserved. Test of time through litigation will eventually bear out the final results.

I have updated the linked article below and it includes links to peer reviewed research data. You’ll also see the current litigation results and those pending.

See Updates in Reference to the Talc Controversy

I will continue to update web pages and posts as the news becomes available to me. If any of you need an update on something you may have read on my sight, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I am happy to update info where necessary as more science evolves over time.

Happy Hump Day….woot woot!