The allegedly asbestos-free talc used in baby powder products was recently challenged with a case that claimed the product was carcinogenic. Talc, a silicate mined in the same areas as the carcinogen asbestos, had been pronounced free of cancerous substances by the 1970’s, leading to a spike in its inclusion in household substances such as baby powder. This court case challenged that assertion, with multiple past users claiming injury and negligence at the hands of the pharmaceutical company. Expertise in gynecologic oncology was sought to review the facts of several cases and address causation of talc in cancer.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Do you regularly see patients with ovarian cancer?
2. Are you familiar with the relationship between talc and ovarian cancer?
Expert Witness Response E-044847
I'm an Associate Professor of Gynecologic Oncology at a major academic medical center and have about ten years of experience treating gynecologic malignancies, including ovarian cancer. I see approximately 50 patients a week, and about twenty percent of them have ovarian cancer. I'm very much familiar with the relationship between talc and ovarian cancer and the controversy surrounding this issue, though I have not officially reviewed any cases related to talcum powder yet.
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