Jury awards $110.5 million in baby powder lawsuit

A St. Louis jury Thursday night awarded $110.5 million to a Virginia woman claiming Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder caused her ovarian cancer. The ruling for Lois Slemp, 62, is the latest and highest settlement in a number of lawsuits alleging that prolonged use of the talcum-containing product leads to cancer. Slemp, who says she used the product for over 40 years, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that it would appeal the ruling, and disputed the scientific evidence cited by the plaintiff. Most research has found no link or a weak link between ovarian cancer and using baby powder, but Slemp’s attorneys cited case studies showing women who use the powder face up to a 40 percent higher risk of cancer.