The Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) fate over claims its Talc powder products causes ovarian cancer in women hangs in the balance, as a jury in Los Angeles is set to issue its verdict on the issue. The company has already lost four out of five cases in Missouri, a fate it hopes to avoid given the financial implications that such a loss would come with.
Talc Products Cancer Claims
Eva Echeverria is at the center of the lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson in California. Echeverria in her lawsuit alleges that the company failed to warn her that continued usage of the Talc powder products posed significant cancer risks. The 62-year-old was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 having used the products since she was 11.
The case in California adds to a list of more than 4,800 that the world’s largest health care company is facing in a number of states. Most of the claims allege that the company ignored a number of studies that linked its baby powder and talc products to ovarian cancer.
Johnson & Johnson vs. Echeverria
Johnson & Johnson has vehemently denied the claims. In the California case, the company called Dr. Juan Felix, a pathologist, in defense against the claims raised by Madam Echeverria. The company has gone as far as reiterating that the plaintiff’s allegations are not in any way supported by scientific evidence.
In contrast, Echeverria also called to the stand experts including toxicologists and former Harvard pathologists to back her theory. In her claims, Echeverria alleges that particles from Johnson & Johnson Baby powder traveled up her reproductive tract into her ovaries thus causing an inflammation that inflicted her with ovarian cancer.
Following completion of closing remarks, jurors will now how have to decide whether Johnson & Johnson should be held accountable for failing to warn Echeverria of this risks posed by its talc products. Missouri juries have already hit the company with fines of up to $110 million something that the firm is trying to avoid with the case in California.
Johnson & Johnson was up by 0.57% in Wednesday’s trading session to end the day at $134.17 a share.