Happi Staff01.08.20
Johnson & Johnson may have found the defense it was looking for in the ongoing debate over the safety of talc-based products. A study of more than 250,000 women published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found no significant link between the use of powder in the genital area and risk of ovarian cancer among women. The prospective observational study collected data from four US-based studies that took place between 1976 and 2017, including The Nurses’ Health Study, The Nurses’ Health Study II, The Sister Study, and The Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study.
The study included a pool of 252,745 women with a median age baseline of 57 years. According to authors, this is the largest study on the topic ever conducted. Exposure was measured by dividing those who used powder in the genital area into ever users (long-term ≥20 years) and frequent users (≥1 week). Thirty-eight percent of those sampled reported use and women who did not use powder were excluded from the study. Of that 38%, 10% reported long-term use and the remaining 22% reported frequent use.
Researchers note an apparent generational trend in the use of powder in the genital area, as older women were more likely to report the practice. Use also varied among women of different races and education levels. The data showed ever users were more likely to be black, obese, or to have had a hysterectomy and less likely to have used oral contraceptives.
The researchers found no statistically significant association between powder use and ovarian cancer.
“During a median of 11.2 years of follow-up (3.8 million person-years at risk), 2168 women developed ovarian cancer (58 cases/100,000 person-years). Ovarian cancer incidence was 61 cases/100,000 person-years among ever users and 55 cases/100,000 person-years among never users (estimated risk difference at age 70 years, 0.09% [95% CI, −0.02% to 0.19%]; estimated hazard ratio (HR), 1.08 [95% CI, 0.99-1.17]),” according to researchers.
For the past several years, J&J and other talc marketers have faced lawsuits from consumers who charge that use of talc-based products cause cancer. J&J has vigorously defended itself, winning some lawsuits and losing others. For its part, the US Food and Drug Administration recently announced it will hold a public meeting on testing methods for asbestos in talc and cosmeti products containing talc.
The study included a pool of 252,745 women with a median age baseline of 57 years. According to authors, this is the largest study on the topic ever conducted. Exposure was measured by dividing those who used powder in the genital area into ever users (long-term ≥20 years) and frequent users (≥1 week). Thirty-eight percent of those sampled reported use and women who did not use powder were excluded from the study. Of that 38%, 10% reported long-term use and the remaining 22% reported frequent use.
Researchers note an apparent generational trend in the use of powder in the genital area, as older women were more likely to report the practice. Use also varied among women of different races and education levels. The data showed ever users were more likely to be black, obese, or to have had a hysterectomy and less likely to have used oral contraceptives.
The researchers found no statistically significant association between powder use and ovarian cancer.
“During a median of 11.2 years of follow-up (3.8 million person-years at risk), 2168 women developed ovarian cancer (58 cases/100,000 person-years). Ovarian cancer incidence was 61 cases/100,000 person-years among ever users and 55 cases/100,000 person-years among never users (estimated risk difference at age 70 years, 0.09% [95% CI, −0.02% to 0.19%]; estimated hazard ratio (HR), 1.08 [95% CI, 0.99-1.17]),” according to researchers.
For the past several years, J&J and other talc marketers have faced lawsuits from consumers who charge that use of talc-based products cause cancer. J&J has vigorously defended itself, winning some lawsuits and losing others. For its part, the US Food and Drug Administration recently announced it will hold a public meeting on testing methods for asbestos in talc and cosmeti products containing talc.
