Cosmetic products containing talcum should carry labels warning of possible health risks, consumer rights advocate groups say.
Foundation For Consumers (FFC) secretary-general Saree Ongsomwang yesterday said the Food and Drug Administration should step up warnings after a recent civil case involving Johnson & Johnson.
"All powder products containing talcum should have labels warning of any health risks," she said.
Last week, a Missouri jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay US$72 million (2.6 billion baht) in damages to the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer which was linked to her regular use of the company's talcum-contained baby powder in her genital area.
Talcum is a mineral widely used in cosmetics and personal care products.
The civil suit was launched by Jackie Fox, whose son took over the case after her death, aged 62, in October 2015, more than two years after her diagnosis.
Fox claimed that she used Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for feminine hygiene for more than 35 years.
A jury said the company had failed to warn users of the potential dangers despite concerns raised by the American Cancer Society in 1999.
Wattanosoth Cancer Hospital director Thiravud Khuhaprema said consumers shouldn't panic as there is no conclusive evidence that using talcum powder in the vagina causes cancer.
"But they need to be aware of the possible risks," he said.
Findings from global studies in relation to talcum powder and ovarian cancer are mixed. Talcum powder is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as possibly carcinogenic to humans when applied to the genital area.
Ovarian cancer is ranked as the sixth most common type of cancer in Thai women after cancer of the breast, cervix, liver, colon and anus, and the lung respectively.
The FFC is running tests on powder samples collected locally with a view to find non-talcum alternatives for consumers.
The foundation is also pushing the government to fast-track the "unsafe products warning bill" which is being drafted.
Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman Carol Goodrich said the company was considering its next legal move.
She told The Guardian newspaper the verdict "goes against decades of sound science proving the safety of talc as a cosmetic ingredient".