Baby powder, and cosmetics and personal hygiene products in general, have long been under scrutiny: can they cause cancer? Although there is no absolute certainty, there are many cases in which the link between pathologies and prolonged use is ascertained, especially in the case of the famous talc.
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Baby powder, and cosmetics and personal hygiene products in general, have been under consideration for some time: can they cause cancer? Although there is no absolute certainty, the cases in which the link between pathologies and prolonged use it is ascertained, especially in the case of the famous product that contains talc.
The last example is that of the ovarian cancer 62-year-old diagnosed Lois Slemp and linked by the judges touse of Johnson & Johnson's baby powder. It was worth it $ 110,5 million.
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Carcinogenic baby powder? The case of Lois Slemp
Unfortunately, Lois is in too advanced a stage of the disease and could neither be present at the trial nor speak to the press about her small victory, behind which however a huge battle against multinationals emerges. In a video, however, she stated as a deposition: “I trusted Johnson & Johnson. A serious mistake ". For 40 years this lady has sprinkled her body with the powder sold by the company, which contains talc, as we all know, a controversial substance. The cancer, in this case, was diagnosed in 2012 and spread rapidly.
Baby powder and cancer: the accusations against Johnson & Johnson's
It is not the only case in which the company is accused due to the substances contained in the products sold on the market for years. In total she was forced to pay $ 197 million following complaints similar to the one just mentioned and in the US alone there are something like 2 complaints to be examined, received by the various courts of justice. The object is always the same: talc and its effects on human health.
Last year a case quite similar to that of Lois Slemp had seen her son obtain a victory again to the detriment of Johnson & Johnson, forced to a compensation of 72 million dollars.
Do studies prove the talc-cancer link?
The analyzes and studies that try to understand how deep the link between prolonged use of talcum powder and cancer. For example, last year, a study conducted among a sample of African American women showed that when dust comes into contact with the genital organs it can generate an increase in 44% risk of developing ovarian cancer.
READ also:
TALC CAUSES CANCER: JOHNSON & JOHNSON CONDEMNED TO COMPENSATE US $ 72M
TALC: DOES PROLONGED USE INCREASE THE RISK OF OVARIAN TUMOR?
JOHNSON & JOHNSON: LICENSE WITHDRAWN IN INDIA FOR CARCINOGENIC TALC
Similarly, in 2013 the Brigham and Women's Hospital of Boston had come to prove that the dust particles applied to the genital areas migrate to the woman's body and they manage to trigger inflammation that allows cancer cells to thrive.
Why, then, is it not yet prohibited?
The potential of talc is very well known: his absorption capacity it has led to its success and has been used by the cosmetics industry since the 1800s. But most companies and expert groups still consider it safe despite reports and cases of negative effects on human health. L'International Agency for Research on Cancer states that it is potentially carcinogenic, while the 'Environmental working group classifies the risk associated with baby powder as moderate.
But something is moving thanks to the victory of individual consumers in processes like that of Ms. Slemp and, step by step, even considering that products like the talcum powder sold by Johnson & Johnson's are not essential, companies are deviating in a different way: if they traditionally used cheap ingredients without anyone caring about their long-term effects now the consumer requires greater clarity, certain and transparent indications on the labels and an almost total reformulation of the products in a preferably organic key.
Anna Tita Gallo
