As CFL has published several times now, the link between cancer and talc-based commercial baby powder and feminine products continues to resonate with U.S. juries.  This latest lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) ended in the jury awarding $417 Million (the highest award yet) to a woman whose attorneys argued that she contracted ovarian cancer due to her use of J&J’s talc-based baby powder.

J&J ordered to pay $417 million in trial over talc cancer risks

(Reuters) – Johnson & Johnson on Monday was ordered by a California jury to pay $417 million to a woman who claimed she developed ovarian cancer after using the company’s talc-based products like Johnson’s Baby Powder for feminine hygiene.

The Los Angeles Superior Court jury’s verdict in favor of California resident Eva Echeverria was the largest to date in lawsuits alleging J&J failed to adequately warn consumers about the cancer risks of talc-based products…

At trial, lawyers for Echeverria accused the New Jersey-based company of encouraging women to use its talc products despite knowing of years of studies linking ovarian cancer diagnoses and deaths to genital talc use.

J&J’s lawyers argued that various scientific studies as well as federal agencies including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have not found that talc products are carcinogenic.

The trial follows five prior ones in Missouri state court. J&J lost four of those trials and along with a talc supplier has been hit with a total of $307 million in verdicts. Before today’s verdict, the largest verdict was for $110 million.

The case is Echeverria et al v. Johnson & Johnson, Los Angeles Superior Court, No. BC628228.

Read more about the legal issues surrounding these talc-cancer risk suits against J&J:

Massive California verdict expands J&J’s talc battlefield

“…the California verdict showed that, venue issues aside, the evidence against J&J was compelling…