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Rulings Linking Baby Powder to Cancer Dent J&J Image
May 27, 2016 | AdvertisingAge
By Jack Neff
Baby Product Sales Also Falter as Band-Aid and Tylenol Remain Unscathed. Johnson & Johnson has faced many litigation problems in recent years, but the one that seems to be hurting its reputation most is over Johnson's Baby Powder – specifically two recent legal judgments finding talc in the products caused ovarian cancer. -
Johnson and Johnson's baby powder has become the company's unavoidable cancer
May 27, 2016 | FirstPost
By Madhura Kadaba
Earlier this month, the Johnson and Johnson company was ordered by an American jury to pay $55 million in damages to a woman, who claimed her ovarian cancer was caused by long term use of Johnson’s baby powder. This is the second time the company has paid millions of dollars in damages to women with claims that the company was negligent in warning users that prolonged use of its baby powder could increase risk of ovarian cancer -
Canadian Class-Action Lawsuit Alleges Link Between Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder And Ovarian Cancer
May 27, 2016 | AM 980
The Canadian subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson is facing a class-action lawsuit has over an alleged link between prolonged use of its talcum powder and ovarian cancer. -
Canadian class-action launched over Johnson & Johnson's baby powder
May 27, 2016 | The Canadian Press (In PeaceArch news)
By David Paddon
A Canadian class-action lawsuit has been filed against Johnson & Johnson over an alleged link between its baby powder products and ovarian cancer in adult women who used the product for long periods of time. -
Long-time baby powder users sue over ovarian cancer link
May 27, 2016 | CTV News
By Angela Mulholland
Four Canadian women and their families have launched a class-action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, claiming the women developed ovarian cancer after using the company’s baby powder.
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Rulings Linking Baby Powder to Cancer Dent J&J Image
May 27, 2016 | AdvertisingAge
By Jack Neff
Johnson & Johnson has faced many litigation problems in recent years, but the one that seems to be hurting its reputation most is over Johnson's Baby Powder – specifically two recent legal judgments finding talc in the products caused ovarian cancer.
Since the first of those judgments in February, J&J's YouGov BrandIndex Buzz score has declined by more than two-thirds.
The score is the net percentage of people in tracking surveys who report having heard something positive about the company less those who have heard something negative, either through advertising, news or word of mouth. And while it's still positive, J&J went from a recent high of 18.1 in Februrary to a low of 5.4 last week. That's the company's lowest score in three and a half years, according to YouGov.
The publicity may also be weighing on Johnson's Baby product sales, which were down 5.7% for the four weeks ended April 23 and 1.6% for the 12 weeks ended then, though they were up 0.8% for the full year, according to Nielsen data from Deutsche Bank.
J&J has said it will appeal rulings in the talc cases anddenies any link between talcum powder and ovarian cancer.
A J&J spokeswoman said in a statement that the company hadn't analyzed the YouGov data but said: "We recognize that reputation tracking is done most effectively over a long horizon and we manage our activities accordingly. We are steadfast in our commitment to put the safety of our consumers first. We are confident in more than 20 years of science and regulatory review, and we intend to continue to aggressively educate the public using the scientific evidence that supports the safety of talc."
Recent news for J&J hasn't been flattering broadly, including reports this week of lawsuits by attorneys general in California and Washington charging the company's Ethicon unit didn't properly disclose risks of pelvic mesh to women or their doctors, and judgments against the company in lawsuits charging its Risperdal antipsychotic drug caused breast growth in males. The company has denied wrongdoing in those cases, though it has settled some of the Risperdal lawsuits. Overall, thecompany has paid $5 billion in judgments, settlements or fines related to its drugs and medical devices since 2013, Bloomberg reports.
Publicity surrounding the baby powder cases, in which two juries in Missouri awarded plaintiffs a combined $127 million in damages, appear to be what's driving J&J reputation scores lower now, based on the timing of the impact, said Ted Marzilli, CEO of YouGov's BrandIndex. "The other issues may be more niche, whereas baby powder is a more widely used product," he said.
The bad publicity may not go away soon. The multi-district federal talc litigation consolidated in St. Louis includes more than 1,000 more cases.
Still, two of J&J's key consumer brands – Band-Aid and Tylenol – appear entirely unaffected by the news, according to YouGov. And J&J remains in positive buzz territory, which is considerably better than, say, Chipotle, which went from a positive 8 to negative 29 in the past year during its food safety crisis, said Mr. Marzilli. Target, which has faced protests from conservative groups over its transgender bathroom policy in recent months, has seen its positive buzz decline slightly more than J&J – from around 18 to 3.
J&J's sales of pain remedies and overall company consumer products are equal to or better than the full-year figures, though sales of adhesive bandages were down slightly the past 12 weeks. Overall J&J consumer product sales, also including such brands as Neutrogena and Listerine, rose 4% for the 52-week period. The company has been gaining share in most categories, particularly its bigger ones, according to the Nielsen data.
J&J consumer sales have recovered steadily in recent years as the company implemented a 2011 consent decree with the Food and Drug Administration to resolve manufacturing quality issues. Tylenol and other products were largely absent from shelves or in short supply for years after safety recalls more than six years ago.
http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/baby-powder-lawsuits-dent-j-j-image-yougov-finds/304184/?utm_source=daily_email&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=adage&ttl=1464909275
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Johnson and Johnson's baby powder has become the company's unavoidable cancer
May 27, 2016 | FirstPost
By Madhura Kadaba
Earlier this month, the Johnson and Johnson company was ordered by an American jury to pay $55 million in damages to a woman, who claimed her ovarian cancer was caused by long term use of Johnson’s baby powder.
This is the second time the company has paid millions of dollars in damages to women with claims that the company was negligent in warning users that prolonged use of its baby powder could increase risk of ovarian cancer. The first plaintiff was deceased by the time the ruling came down in February, so her family was paid $72 million in punitive damages. Krista Smith, who was the jury foreman in the first trial, said internal documents provided the most incriminating evidence: “It was really clear they were hiding something.” The second plaintiff has had advanced stage ovarian cancer. There are reportedly thousands of other women also in line to sue Johnson and Johnson for negligence.
From very early in the company’s history, Johnson and Johnson has marketed its talc Baby Powder, and Shower to Shower talc powder to adults. The products’ ads have targeted women especially, for use between the legs to keep up “freshness” and prevent odours and chafing. Because of this, generations of women have habitualised to powder their perineum (the bit of skin between the anus and vagina), their underwear, and even their sanitary napkins, believing Johnson and Johnson baby powder to be a safe product, since it already claimed to be safe for babies.
Representational image. Image courtesy News18
Doubts about the safety of talc, a soft odourless mineral used in cosmetics, rose in the 1970s, when a study found talc particles deeply embedded in ovarian tumours. Since then, at least 20 studies have shown a statistical correlation between genital talc use and ovarian cancer. But there have been other studies which demonstrate that a link between talc use and cancer is not so cut and dry, and experts at Johnson and Johnson claim the statistical link in the other studies are tenuous at best.
The scientific evidence is mixed, but documents filed at court show that Johnson and Johnson was aware of suspected health risks. To counter declining interest in the 1990s, among adult users of their baby powder product, Johnson and Johnson stepped up marketing among African-American and Hispanic women (earlier this month, a new study indicated a 44 person increased risk for epithelial ovarian cancer with genital talc use among African-American women). Despite listening to customers and removing chemicals like formaldehyde and triclosan from its other products, because of suspected health risks, Johnson and Johnson continues to dig in its heels and has not issued a warning. Even Imerys Talc America, the sole supplier of talc to Johnson and Johnson, has carried a warning label against genital use on its 2,000-pound supply bags since 2006.
Much like douching (a method of washing out the vagina with a mix of water and vinegar or store-bought mixtures), talc powder is used in the genital region to remove odours, or to “feel fresh”. The truth is that women’s genitals do not need douching or talc powder. The vagina self cleans by making mucous. In fact, douching is known to cause many health problems, like infections and sometimes even problems in getting pregnant.
Talc powder for feminine hygiene is in the same category of ‘feminine products’ like '18 again', a vaginal tightening gel or vaginal fairness creams — products used under social pressure which imagines that female genitalia is dirty or smelly. Women don’t need it and can actually damage their health by using it.
Current advice by doctors is to minimise the use of talc as little as possible. In the case of babies, pediatricians recommend use only in the fat folds of babies. Dr Anne McTiernan, an epidemiologist, said it best when the New York Times spoke with her about the lawsuits — “Talcum powder is an interesting case, because it’s not something that’s necessary. If there’s any doubt [about its safety], why should anyone use it?”
http://www.firstpost.com/living/johnson-and-johnson-baby-powder-talcum-powder-ovarian-cancer-health-2802252.html
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Canadian Class-Action Lawsuit Alleges Link Between Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder And Ovarian Cancer
May 27, 2016 | AM 980
The Canadian subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson is facing a class-action lawsuit has over an alleged link between prolonged use of its talcum powder and ovarian cancer.
The suit’s plaintiffs include women and family members living in Ontario and Quebec, as well as the estate of a Montreal woman who died of ovarian cancer in March at the age of 66.
“I feel like I have been betrayed by an old friend. I trusted the product and was devastated to learn that it caused my ovarian cancer,” Shaeda Farooqi of Mississauga, an ovarian cancer victim and representative plaintiff said. “It feels like being in the deep end of the pool and having someone let go of my hand.”
The suits follow a jury decision in Missouri that awarded $72 million to the family of a woman who died of ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson feminine hygience products for years that contained its talcum powder.
Johnson & Johnson was ordered by another U.S. jury to pay $55 million in damages earlier this month to a woman who claimed her ovarian cancer was caused by long term use of the baby powder.
Johnson & Johnson Canada stated that it stands by the safety of its product.
http://www.am980.ca/2016/05/27/canadian-class-action-lawsuit-alleges-link-between-johnson-and-johnson-baby-powder-and-ovarian-cancer/
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Canadian class-action launched over Johnson & Johnson's baby powder
May 27, 2016 | The Canadian Press (In PeaceArch news)
By David Paddon
A Canadian class-action lawsuit has been filed against Johnson & Johnson over an alleged link between its baby powder products and ovarian cancer in adult women who used the product for long periods of time.
The suit's plaintiffs include seven women and family members living in Ontario and Quebec, and the estate of a Montreal woman who died of ovarian cancer in March at age 66.
Toronto law firms Rochon Genova LLP and Will Davidson LLP are handling the class-action against the Canadian subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
The suit alleges Johnson & Johnson was "negligent in the development, testing, design, manufacturing, licensing, distribution, marketing and sale of Johnson's Baby Powder."
The accusations in the class-action statement of claim have not been proven in court. Johnson & Johnson Canada said that it sympathized with the women and their families, but defended its baby powder.
"The talc in our baby powder has a long history of safe and gentle use," the company said in an emailed statement.
"After 30 years of studies by medical experts around the world, science, research and clinical evidence continues to support the safety of cosmetic talc .... We continue to believe in the safety of Johson's baby powder containing talc."
Johnson & Johnson also faces litigation in the United States.
The class-action suit follows a jury decision in Missouri that awarded US$72 million to the family of a woman who died of ovarian cancer after using Johnson & Johnson feminine hygiene products for years that contained its talcum powder.
Earlier this month, Johnson & Johnson was ordered by another U.S. jury to pay US$55 million in damages to a woman who claimed her ovarian cancer was caused by long-term use of Johnson's baby powder.
The Canadian plaintiffs allege that Johnson's baby powder "is defective and inherently dangerous in that it causes, materially contributes to, and materially increases the risks of ovarian cancer in females who apply it (or who have it applied) to their perineal area."
The class-action suit also alleges that Johnson & Johnson knew about the dangers of its baby powder but "failed to disclose these defects and the resulting risks to the health and life of the plaintiffs" and failed to recall the product in Canada.
The lawsuit says requests for monetary compensation will come later.
http://www.peacearchnews.com/national/381143991.html
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Long-time baby powder users sue over ovarian cancer link
May 27, 2016 | CTV News
By Angela Mulholland
Four Canadian women and their families have launched a class-action lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, claiming the women developed ovarian cancer after using the company’s baby powder.
The planned suits come after several similar lawsuits were launched in the U.S. Earlier this month, a jury in St. Louis ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay US$55 million to a woman who claimed the company’s baby powder caused her ovarian cancer.
In another case in February, the company was ordered to pay $72 million to an Alabama woman who died from ovarian cancer, which she said was caused by using the powder. In both cases, the juries found that Johnson & Johnson knew of a possible link between its talcum powder and cancer but did not warn the public.
Here in Canada, Toronto-based Will Davidson LLP and Rochon Genova LLP have commenced a joint lawsuit.Their suit involves the families of four proposed representative plaintiffs who all developed ovarian cancer after extended use of the J&J's Baby Powder for feminine hygiene purposes.
One potential plaintiff’s mother, Thérèse Bernier, died in March following her battle with ovarian cancer, Joel Rochon, a partner at Rochon Genova said.
“What I find most troubling about this case is that Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder has been known as a safe product that was made to be used on a daily use – that’s how it was promoted,” Rochon told CTVNews.ca. “And now they have been horribly deceived.”
He says the company should have warned customers decades ago about the link between the powder and cancer.
“They could have easily prevented many, many cases of ovarian cancer by simply placing an appropriate strong warning on the product. But obviously profits got in the way of being responsible,” he said.
Another proposed plaintiff is Mississauga resident Cindy Strathdee. The 56-year-old says she sprinkled the powder into her underwear for 30 years, unaware of any possible link to that practice and cancer. In 2012, she began feeling ill.
"I had a constant, nagging stomach ache. I had a large mass. My stomach was so bloated it looked like I was pregnant," she told CTV News.
She was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer, and had to undergo a total hysterectomy and chemotherapy. She also developed blood clots in her legs and lungs and had to have blood thinning medication injections for six months.
The injections cost $1,000 a month, she said, which she has had to pay herself since she had no medical benefits. She has also been taking blood thinners for the last three years,
"Sometimes, I think of what I have been through and it’s crazy," she said.
Whether talcum powder causes or increases the risk for ovarian cancer is still unclear. Some studies suggest that women who regularly use talc in their vaginal area face up to 40 per cent higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.
And in 2006, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified talcum powder as a “possible” human carcinogen if used in the female genital area.
But Johnson & Johnson cites several other studies saying the products are safe. The company is appealing both jury awards and fighting hundreds of other lawsuits on the same matter.
When asked why she was joining the lawsuit, Strathdee says the public deserves to know the truth.
"You trusted that company and to think that could happen...there are people still using it."
http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/long-time-baby-powder-users-sue-over-ovarian-cancer-link-1.2920027
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