The wellness trap: How dangerous products keep targeting women
History has shown a persistent pattern of women being targeted by products that carry underlying risks including everything from early cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, to today’s latest popular weight loss drugs.The growing awareness of these concerns has fueled public scrutiny, legal action, calls for stronger safety standards, greater transparency, and increased accountability from manufacturers.Certain major retail corporations in the beauty space have been subject to lawsuits for talcum-related cancer.
In the suits, baby powder was linked to carcinogenic asbestos, with evidence that the presence of it was kept from regulators and the general public.In fact, one company had earmarked approximately $9 billion to cover the allegations and protect itself against liability.
In 2020, these lawsuits caused the company to pull its talcum powder products from the market in the US and Canada. The fight is far from over, with new lawsuits accusing this company of not only knowing about the serious side effects but also targeting Black women with its advertisements.Internal documents prove that the corporation made these marketing pushes aimed at minority women while fully knowing the risk of ovarian cancer from talcum.
Recently, a California jury awarded $966 million to a woman diagnosed with mesothelioma (a cancer that develops in the organs, usually the lungs) after long-term use of baby powder. These recent lawsuits and verdicts confirm that talcum litigation is still strong.Courts across the country are receptive, particularly to cases involving mesothelioma caused by asbestos contamination in talcum products.
In response, some corporations have pursued bankruptcy-related strategies as a part of their efforts to address and manage liabilities.Current rulings on these cases keep the door wide open for those affected by talcum-related cancers to pursue justice in a courtroom.Injectable birth control has long been advertised to younger and lower-income women as a c...