A few years ago, I heard discussions about the investigation of body powders with talc as an ingredient causing ovarian cancer in women. I was skeptical but as a student of science and the law, I researched this matter. It turns out that these products were marketed heavily through the years for the prevention of vaginal odor in women and are commonly used by women for that purpose. It appears that early evidence first emerged in the 1970s that linked the application of the powder to female genitalia to ovarian cancer. Here’s the way it happens: when applied to the groin area of women, particles travel through the vagina and into the uterus and along the fallopian tubes to the ovaries. From there, it can take years to dissolve, and research shows that it can cause inflammation.

A number of studies associate talcum powder contamination with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The journal Cancer Prevention Research published a study in June 2013 that demonstrated women who dusted their groin area with talcum powder were shown to have a 20 to 30 percent greater risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who did not use talc products for intimate personal hygiene. That is absurd. Surely when the manufacturer observed this study they immediately removed talc from their products. Or maybe they placed consumer warnings on the product. Nope. Not a thing was done to protect the public. Despite the mounting evidence of serious health effects with genital use of talcum powder, manufacturers of talcum powder products continue to refuse to warn consumers of these deadly potential dangers.