Lawsuits In Europe Over Talcum Powder Cancer Mirror Those In The US
Thousands of talcum powder mesothelioma lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other beauty product manufacturers are expected in the coming months
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 - Talcum powder cancer lawsuits are being brought to court in the UK over Johnson's Baby Powder causing mesothelioma, a deadly disease that gradually destroys the delicate lining of the lungs. Publicity over Johnson & Johnson discontinuing worldwide talcum powder sales has spooked UK government officials into calling for an end to selling all beauty and health care products that contain talc in Europe. Study after study has found asbestos, a known carcinogen and the cause of mesothelioma, a form of talcum powder cancer, in bottles of baby powder. Companies are switching from talc to cornstarch to avoid the stigma of containing talc. According to The Scotsman, about 500 people per year die from mesothelioma in the UK, and that number is rising to create a cause for concern among health officials. UK lawsuits cite recent documents revealed in US court that show Johnson & Johnson knew as far back as 1957 that up to 10% of their talc supply was contaminated with asbestos and did nothing to warn consumers. The recent spate of UK talc lawsuits highlight that the products that sickened UK people were manufactured in the United States. While there are about 38,000 lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson in the United States, other companies that have sold talc-based beauty products are being called into court also. The Scotsman reports, "The use of talc is not limited to J&J. US attorneys are currently in litigation against Avon, Estee Lauder, Clinique, and many others. The use of talc is well-known in beauty ranges such as body powders, baby powder, blushers, etc but there have been further cases relating to deodorants and foot powders, all linked to asbestos exposure."
To understand the connection between talc and asbestos one only has to have a basic understanding of the process of how the minerals are mined and places where talc comes from. Both talc and asbestos are organic minerals that naturally occur in the earth in close proximity to one another all over the world. Both talc and asbestos were interspersed with each other in the ground and mineral deposits often overlapped. Open-air mining operations blast talc and asbestos from the earth and the deposits were simply scooped up after they fell to earth. It is impossible to remove asbestos from talc or vice versa. The only question is the percentage of asbestos in talc and experts believe that could be up to 10%. Experts also tell us that there is no safe amount of ingesting asbestos and inhaling only a single microscopic particle could result in cancer years later. A Reuters investigative report published in 2020 told readers that Johnson & Johnson executives knew that asbestos lurked in their talc supply. It is suggested that rather than lose brand confidence among mothers by admitting the talc/asbestos connection, the company redirected its marketing toward Black women in the hotter, more humid southern United States. UK law states that people who have developed mesothelioma may sue US companies. Their lawsuit must be filed within three years of receiving a mesothelioma diagnosis.
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