Women have applied talcum powder as a form of genital hygiene for decades. Since then, the effects of this carcinogenic substance are showing up in women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20,000 American women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and the CDC says it is the fifth leading cause of cancer death.
A 2014 study showed that talc-based powders applied to female genitalia increased the risk of cancer by 33%. Also in March 2016, Bloomberg reported that more than 1,000 women were suing Johnson & Johnson because it covered up the risks of using its products instead of telling consumers the truth.
In fact, in October 2015, a St. Louis jury held Johnson & Johnson accountable for “negligence, conspiracy, and failure to warn women of the potential risk of using Baby Powder in the genital area,” according to Bloomberg. The victim died before the verdict was rendered, but J&J was ordered to pay $72 million in compensatory and punitive damages.