Stemming from cancer diagnoses alleged to have been caused by its personal hygiene products. In a twist, though, this latest group of suits involves more than the cancer-causing potential of talcum powder.
A story produced by the legal website nocalrecord.com points to the recent acknowledgement that the company's Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products were contaminated with asbestos. Court documents indicate that talc bought by Johnson & Johnson from mines in Vermont, North Carolina, Alabama and Italy had been contaminated with the cancer-causing mineral. A trial ongoing in California, filed by Tina Herford, alleges that she contracted mesothelioma after using the company's personal hygiene products. Mesothelioma occurs when tiny asbestos fibers (one-fifth the diameter of a human hair) attach to the lining of internals organs such as the lungs or stomach. The asbestos fibers may be inhaled or ingested. The asbestos may lay dormant for many years before forming cancerous tumors.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is sturdy and fire-resistant. Those qualities made it a popular construction material for decades. It was commonly used in concrete, ceiling and floor tiles, insulation and drywall compounds. It was also found in various automotive parts, such as brake pads and gaskets. Because of its cancer-causing properties, U.S. regulators restricted its use in the 1970s, though it is still present in many buildings constructed prior to that time. Asbestos exposure these days most commonly occurs when someone is deconstructing, remodeling or repairing facilities that contain asbestos. Exposure is most likely when cutting or tearing the asbestos-containing materials.
Herford's suit says that she used the asbestos-contaminated body powders for many years.
Johnson & Johnson, according to the story, will try to prove that Herford's cancer stemmed from exposure to asbestos in some other way.
Documents filed in other cases have shown that Johnson & Johnson officials knew of the asbestos-contamination but did not warn consumers. In one case, the company moved to have promotional materials from an Italian mine not published in English to shield the information.
Personal hygiene body powders containing talc have been the target of thousands of lawsuits brought by women or their survivors. The cases focus on the advanced risk of contracting ovarian cancer for women who use talc-containing body powders in their genital area. Studies have shown the cancer risk to increase as much as 30 percent. --authored by Rick Fahr.