Johnson & Johnson talcum powder and the evidence on ovarian cancer risk

More than 1,300 Victorians have signed on to a class action against Johnson & Johnson, claiming its talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer that affects the lungs), and other cancers of the reproductive organs.

The action follows litigation in the United Kingdom and the United States, including a high-profile case in California. In December 2025, a jury found Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder to be dangerous and concluded the company had not adequately warned consumers, leading to an order to pay two women US$40 million.

Talc is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined across many regions worldwide. People may be exposed to it during mining and processing, through industrial uses, and-most commonly-via cosmetics and body powders.

Talcum powder is applied to the genital area to soak up moisture, lessen friction, mask odours, and ease rashes and chafing. In facial powders and other cosmetics, talc helps make products more opaque and can leave skin feeling soft and smooth.

So how might talc be connected to cancer, and what does research actually show?

Asbestos contamination in talc

Since the 1970s, concerns have been raised about the possibility that talc may be contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos is a cancer-causing substance that can damage the lungs when inhaled.

Because talc and asbestos can occur near one another in the ground, talc can potentially become contaminated with asbestos during extraction.

From the 1970s onwards, manufacturers have sought to make talcum powder that is free of asbestos. Even so, it remains uncertain how consistently products have been tested and how much contamination may have occurred over the past 50 years.

In 2023, Johnson & Johnson discontinued the sale of talc in its products worldwide, including in Australia, and moved to a cornflour-based alternative. Other manufacturers continue to sell talcum powder, and talc is still used in cosmetics as well as in industrial settings.

What does the science say about talcum powder and cancer?

Two cancers have a potential association with talc exposure:

• lung cancer, because talc particles can be inhaled in certain types of work
• ovarian cancer, linked to ongoing use of talcum powder around the genital area.

Some studies in people have reported that talc-containing products are associated with higher ovarian cancer rates, while other research has not found an association.

Research that has looked specifically at genital use of talc has not found evidence suggesting a relationship between talc and uterine or cervical cancer.

Studying any connection between talcum powder and cancer also involves several hurdles. Years later, people may struggle to remember details of their talc use (such as the brand and the quantity used). In addition, some individuals who developed cancer may have died before they could be identified for research, meaning they would not be included in studies.

Even so, when researchers assessed how often participants used talc and compared frequent users with those who did not use it, they observed a higher risk of ovarian cancer in frequent users.

So what does it all mean?

When multiple studies produce mixed results, researchers can combine and assess the findings together to address the underlying question. What, then, does the full body of current evidence indicate about the relationship between talc use and ovarian cancer?

This pooled assessment suggests there may be a weak association with certain forms of ovarian cancer-meaning a small rise in risk-although the reasons for this are still not well understood.

The available evidence indicates talc does not raise the risk of other gynaecological cancers, including uterine and cervical cancers.

Talc that is contaminated with asbestos is clearly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. By contrast, cosmetic use of talc does not appear to increase lung cancer risk because users are not inhaling it.

In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised its guidance to state talc is "probably carcinogenic", meaning it probably causes cancer in humans. This is the second-highest cancer risk category, which also includes the herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) and red meat.

If you use talcum powder and are worried about cancer risk, the advice is to stop using it or reduce the amount you use.

As with any life choice, it is worth weighing potential benefits against possible harms-particularly if you have used talc for a long time and want to reduce your chances of developing cancer.

Tam Ha, Associate Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, University of Wollongong

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.