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Talc 6/13
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J&J Faces Talc Class Action Lawsuit in Canada
Jun 10, 2016 | Injury Lawyer News
By Ava Lawson
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has been hit with a talcum powder class action lawsuit in Canada over its baby powder products containing talc. -
Defendants Remove Oklahoma Talc-Based Powder Suit, Cite Diversity of Citizenship
Jun 10, 2016 | Harris Martin Publishing
Defendants named in a talc-based powder exposure suit filed in Oklahoma state court have removed the action, saying that complete diversity of citizenship exists between the parties. -
Child rights body orders lab test of two Johnson & Johnson baby products
Jun 10, 2016 | Asian Age
Laboratory testing of two popular baby care products of US firm Johnson & Johnson has been ordered by a child rights body of the government after taking suo motu cognizance of a number of US court orders against it over alleged lack of warning about health risks of its talc-based products.
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J&J Faces Talc Class Action Lawsuit in Canada
Jun 10, 2016 | Injury Lawyer News
By Ava Lawson
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson has been hit with a talcum powder class action lawsuit in Canada over its baby powder products containing talc. Plaintiffs argue that the company knew about cancer risks of long-term talcum use by adult women but opted to conceal these dangers from consumers. The lawsuit claimants include the estate of a Montreal woman who succumbed to ovarian cancer this year, and seven other women who live in Ontario and Quebec.
Allegations raised in the suit, which include: “negligent development, testing, design, manufacturing, licensing, distribution, marketing and sale of Johnson’s Baby Powder” mirror those leveled in complaints filed in the United States, where more than 1,000 cases are currently pending.Class action talc lawsuit filed in Canada
The Canadian plaintiffs allege that Johnson & 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.”
Though demands for monetary compensation in the class action will come later, the suit charges J&J with negligent concealment for failing to disclose the talc cancer risks to the health and life of the plaintiffs, and failing to recall Baby Powder from Canadian shelves.
Even amidst hundreds of pending product liability complaints and two lost cases in Missouri state court, J& J continues to stand behind the safety of its talc-based products, stating “the talc in our baby powder has a long history of safe and gentle use.”J&J loses two talc cases, plaintiffs awarded massive verdicts
Last month, Johnson & Johnson was ordered by a Missouri jury to pay a $55 million talc verdict to a woman who argued that her ovarian cancer was caused by decades of baby powder use for feminine hygiene purposes. The judgement marked the second consecutive loss for J&J, after a separate jury found for another plaintiff who had died from ovarian cancer after using Shower to Shower and Baby Powder for more than 30 years.
A large portion of both of these multi-million judgments was made up of punitive damages – which are intended to punish the defendant and deter future misconduct. A spokesperson for J&J has confirmed that the company plans to appeal both rulings.Ovarian cancer risks with talc
The genital use of talcum powder use has been connected with an increased risk of ovarian cancer in several case-control studies; however, the findings in other research studies have yielded mixed results. According to the American Cancer Society, it is thought that talcum products might cause cancer in the ovaries if the powder is applied around the perineal area, on sanitary napkins or in the underwear where minute particles can migrate through the vagina and fallopian tubes into the ovaries. Prolonged use of talc-containing products in this manner has been associated with inflammation in the ovarian tissues, which is thought to contribute to tumor formation.
With more women seeking monetary damages against J&J concerning their talcum powder products, legal experts anticipate that the company may soon propose a global settlement of cases, at least in the U.S. where talcum powder lawsuits continues to escalate.
http://injurylawyer-news.com/2016/06/jj-faces-talc-class-action-lawsuit-canada/
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Defendants Remove Oklahoma Talc-Based Powder Suit, Cite Diversity of Citizenship
Jun 10, 2016 | Harris Martin Publishing
Defendants named in a talc-based powder exposure suit filed in Oklahoma state court have removed the action, saying that complete diversity of citizenship exists between the parties.
In their June 8 removal notice filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, the defendants also argued that the amount in controversy exceeds the sum of $75,000.
In their original complaint, filed on May 18 in the Oklahoma District Court for Oklahoma County, plaintiffs Mary Robb and Melissa Ann Aguilar argued that the developed ovarian cancer as a result of using talc-based powder products ...
Subscription required, for full story: http://harrismartin.com/article/20934/defendants-remove-oklahoma-talc-based-powder-suit-cite-diversity-of-citizenship/
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Child rights body orders lab test of two Johnson & Johnson baby products
Jun 10, 2016 | Asian Age
Laboratory testing of two popular baby care products of US firm Johnson & Johnson has been ordered by a child rights body of the government after taking suo motu cognizance of a number of US court orders against it over alleged lack of warning about health risks of its talc-based products.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked five states - Gujarat, Jharkhand, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh - to collect the samples of Johnson & Johnson baby powder and shampoo for testing.
In the letters to states last month, the NCPCR said there were news reports highlighting the concerns about the use of products manufactured by Johnson and Johnson as they may contain carcinogenic substances like asbestos and formaldehyde.
When contacted, a company official said, "We have not received any query from the government and Johnson and Johnson has stopped using any dehydrate since 2015."
NCPCR Chairperson Stuti Kacker said, "We have the powers to take suo motu cognisance and we have done that. This is a fact finding exercise. We have to protect our children and if we find anything wrong then we will definitely take action."
The NCPCR asked the states to carry out the tests only in government-accredited laboratories.
The testing was ordered following reports that a US court in February awarded $72 million to the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer claiming that it was caused after prolonged used the company's talcum powder.
The Commission has asked the states to submit the report within 30 days of the issuance of letter on May 17. The NCPCR said the reports of the tests will be placed before an expert committee for further examination and action.
"You are hereby requested to collect samples of Johnson & Johnson baby powder and shampoo following the due procedure and in presence of a representative from SCPCR (State Commission for Protection of Child Rights), and forward the samples to NABL accredited government laboratory only for testing the composition of the samples including the presence of asbestos (in talc) and formaldehyde (in shampoo) and any other hazardous chemical," it said in the letter to the Chief Secretaries of the states.
Referring to the US court order, it said the case highlighted the safety issues and that since the company is a leading manufacturer of baby care products in India, it is important to establish the safety of children using these products.
http://www.asianage.com/india/child-rights-body-orders-lab-test-two-johnson-johnson-baby-products-313
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