Johnson & Johnson, the giant health care company, was ordered to pay $72 million to the family of Jackie Fox who died of ovarian cancer. Prior to her death in 2015, she filed a case against the company, claiming that the J&J's talcum powder had caused her illness.
Apparently, she won the case but she was not around anymore to celebrate her victory. Her family is to receive $10 million for actual damages and another $62 million in punitive damages, Daily Mail UK reported.
The lawsuit was highly publicized and with the jury's verdict which was handed down on Monday, Feb. 22, women worldwide have been alerted about the possible link between ovarian cancer and use of talcum powder.
Fox was 62 when she passed away on Oct. 6, 2015, and at the time of her death, her case was not yet on trial. In the complaint, her lawyers said that for over 35 years, their client used Johnson's Shower to Shower feminine hygiene powder and the brand's Baby powder. They added that the 62-year-old used to apply talcum powder in her perineum everyday.
In any case, after her ovarian cancer was diagnosed, Fox, along with 60 other women, filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. Out of the bunch, her case was the first to be trialed in court.
The trial lasted for a month and the St. Louis jury were convinced that the Johnson & Johnson talcum powder contributed to Fox's ovarian cancer. Moreover, the panel believes that the pharmaceutical firm is guilty of negligence, conspiracy and fraud.
With regards to the verdict, Johnson & Johnson company representative told Alabama News, "We have no higher responsibility than the health and safety of consumers and we are disappointed with the outcome of the trial."
The rep added that the company sympathize with the complainant's family but they firmly stated that talc are safe to use. They pointed out that this claim is supported by decades of scientific evidence.
Then again, despite the win of Fox's case, experts say that there is no need to be scared when using talc since the proof linking it to ovarian cancer is not strong.
"Given the evidence is inconsistent we do advocate a ‘better safe than sorry' attitude and advise that women using talc on their genitals stop doing so," chief executive of the Ovarian Cancer Action Katherine Taylor explained.
Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson will appeal the ruling as they take a firm stand that talc is safe to use.
Below is the report about calims that J&J's talcum can cause ovarian cancer: