The World Health Organization on Friday stated talc is “probably carcinogenic,” based on a study by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The study, published in The Lancet Oncology, states numerous studies have shown an increase in ovarian cancer rates in women who use talc products such as baby powder on their genitals. However, the IARC couldn’t rule out that the talc in some of those studies was contaminated with asbestos, a known carcinogen. 

“A causal role for talc could not be fully established,” the study stated. 

Kevin McConway, a statistician at the UK’s Open University, noted the study’s only aim was to “answer the question of whether the substance (talc) has the potential to cause cancer” under some conditions that the IARC did not specify

McConway, who was not involved in the research, said the studies it was based upon were merely observational, so “there isn’t a smoking gun that the talc use causes any cancer risk.”

Cosmetic Products, Talc, and Cancer

Talc, a naturally occurring mineral, is a key ingredient in many cosmetic products, including baby powder, eye shadow, blush, and face powder. However, talc can be contaminated with asbestos during the mining process because of their geological proximity.

Frequent and prolonged use of asbestos-laced talc products has been linked to both ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. The latter disease most commonly develops in the lining of the lungs, but it can also manifest in the abdomen lining. 

In 2020, the Environmental Working Group commissioned lab tests of more than 20 talc-based cosmetics, including a few marketed to kids. The testing revealed almost 15% were contaminated with asbestos. That same year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found nine out of 52 cosmetic products it tested in a study contained asbestos-laced talc.

The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to access safety records and mandate recalls for cosmetic products. The law also requires “a responsible person” to report any adverse effects from the use of those products to the FDA.

Johnson & Johnson in Hot Water Over Asbestos in Talc Products

No company has been in the news more for asbestos-contaminated talc than Johnson & Johnson.

J&J allegedly knew since the early 1970s that its baby powder could be laced with asbestos. In 2019, the company announced a voluntary recall of the product after traces of asbestos were detected in one bottle. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. and Canada. 

J&J now uses cornstarch in its baby powder rather than talc. However, that hasn’t stopped the tide of personal injury lawsuits from people who developed ovarian cancer or mesothelioma after decades of prolonged use of the talc-based version of the product. Some of those claims have been denied, but in other cases, courts have awarded multi-million dollar verdicts to victims and their families.