February 2017 Date set for Talcum Powder Lawsuit in Missouri

In a consolidated litigation presently underway in Missouri, hundreds of talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits continue to move forward. Based on an Order issued on June 20 in the Missouri Circuit Court for St. Louis City, a trial scheduled to begin on February 21, will instead begin two weeks earlier, on February 6. The case concerns six plaintiffs who allege that their repeated, regular use of Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) talc-based powders contributed to the development of ovarian cancer, reports Business News.

Plaintiffs claim that the use of J&J’s Baby Powder and other talcum products for feminine hygiene resulted in ovarian cancer. Decisions in the upcoming trial will provide some insight into how juries will decide other talcum powder lawsuits. More than 1,200 talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits are now pending around the country, Business News reports.

As early as the 1970s, plaintiffs allege that studies have indicated that the repeated and regular use of talc-based powders for feminine hygiene purposes increased the risk of ovarian cancer in women. Further allegations include that J&J has been aware of this connection for years, but profits came before consumer safety with the withholding of information and warnings from the public, according to Business News.

A jury in April, in St. Louis Missouri, awarded $55 million in compensatory and punitive damages to an ovarian cancer victim who used J&J’s talc-based powders for close to 40 years as part of her feminine hygiene regimen. In February, a jury ordered J&J to pay $72 million to the family of a woman who died as a result of ovarian cancer. As stated in the lawsuit, the deceased had used Baby Powder and Shower-to-Shower as part of her daily routine for over 30 years, Business News reports.