What is the reason there is a debate concerning talcum powder being dangerous?
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Talcum powder as such isn’t dangerous. But when it is mined it can become contaminated with asbestos fibers from the same rock, which are basically stone needles that damage the cells of the body–when those get into the air from the use of talcum powder, a person becomes exposed, and one of the long-term effects can be cancer.
The reason it’s controversial is because of disagreement about how common that is. The producers have long known about this risk but figured that they could make it safe by choosing the right mining sites and methods. Naturally, studies they sponsor downplay how common the asbestos contamination it is, while people seeking compensation offer studies that suggest it is more common and that it can’t be made safe. Then their lawyers argue that the company knew about that all along but kept selling the product. Part of the issue is that when someone is diagnosed with cancer, you may be able to attribute it to likely asbestos exposure, but it’s really hard to say what the source of the exposure was–no one keeps around the specific old talcum powder bottles they used decades ago.
It’s in the news now because of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson trying to get compensation, and the company is trying to avoid liability in part by having a subsidiary declare bankruptcy. Because cancer is very expensive, and company sold it for decades to millions of people, the total potential cost for the company is enormous.
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