St. Louisa:  St. Louis jury has awarded 72 million dollar to the family of an Alabama woman who sued Johnson & Johnson claiming she developed terminal ovarian cancer after using its baby powder and other products containing talcum. The civil suit by Jacqueline Salter Fox, of Birmingham, was part of a broader Missouri claim involving nearly 60 people. Her son Marvin took over as plaintiff following his mother’s death in October 2015 at age 62.

Fox’s attorneys said the jury verdict Monday night was the first such case among more than 1,000 nationally to result in a monetary award. Lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson claim that in an effort to boost sales, the pharmaceutical giant failed for decades to warn consumers that its talc-based products could cause cancer. The jury said that Ms Fox was entitled to 10 million dollar in actual damages and 62 million doller in punitive damages.
A Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman said Tuesday that the New Jersey-based company was considering whether to appeal the verdict.

Jacqueline Fox claimed in her complaint that she used Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for feminine hygiene for more than 35 years before being diagnosed three years ago with ovarian cancer. Jurors in the circuit court of St. Louis on Monday night found Johnson & Johnson liable for fraud, negligence and conspiracy, the family’s lawyers said. Deliberations lasted four hours, following a three-week trial.