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A St. Louis jury awarded $55 million in damages to Gloria Ristesund, who claims using Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder for more than 35 years caused her ovarian cancer. Ristesund’s legal team argued that Johnson & Johnson knew of possible health risks associated with talc, but failed to warn consumers, stating that internal documents show studies connecting talc and ovarian cancer.
Johnson & Johnson said it plans to appeal the verdict, saying that “Multiple scientific and regulatory reviews have determined that talc is safe for use in cosmetic products,” through spokesperson Carol Goodrich.
In February, a jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million to the family of Jackie Fox, who died of ovarian cancer in 2015.
The American Cancer Society says it is not clear if products containing talcum powder increase cancer risk.
