You may have heard news recently of class action lawsuits targeting the manufacturers of products that contain talcum powder.
While these matters have yet to be decided by a court, we thought it might be helpful to share some of the basic information. We’ll also share a few links where you can go to learn more about this issue.
Talcum Powder is commonly found in a wide variety of health and hygiene products. You might recognize it from baby powder, but the fact of the matter is this very useful substance has been found in all sorts of products. Some forms of talcum power contain asbestos, which is likely when the hygienic product first attracted interest as a possible carcinogen
According to the American Cancer Society, there are two major types of procedures scientists use to study cancer risks. Some scientists conduct research on animals in the lab. Other scientists examine the data generated by patients. In looking at these two models together, it is possible to determine many things about the world around us.
In the case of talcum powder, studies have shown mixed results. Some studies have shown that asbestos-free talc has lead to tumor formation. Some studies were not able to replicate this finding. In humans, many studies have focused on the health risks to women. Some of these studies have reported a slight increase in the risk of ovarian cancer.
Read more from the ACS HERE
The studies that have been conducted to date, haven’t lead to any sort of ‘conclusive,’ results.