A U.S. jury verdict linking regular use of Johnson & Johnson talcum powder to a woman’s death from ovarian cancer has spurred new concern from consumers, but scientists say the evidence of real danger is inconclusive at best.
Jurors in St. Louis on Monday ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million in damages to the family of a woman who had used the company’s talc-based Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for several decades. The company maintains that the safety of cosmetic talc “is supported by decades of scientific evidence."Talcum powders are made of talc, a mineral comprised of bits of magnesium, silicon and oxygen that absorbs moisture. In its natural form, some talc contains asbestos, a known carcinogen. But all commercial products sold in the United States have been asbestos-free since the 1970s.
