Ovarian Cancer and Talc Powder
A Sixty-Year
Scandal of Informed Neglect
For more than 60 years, the use of
talc-containing powders in the genital area has been under suspicion for
increasing the risk of ovarian cancer. Yet major cosmetics companies
still sell powders containing talc, a medically and cosmetically
unnecessary substance that is chemically similar to asbestos.
An Old
Secret: The link was first reported in the 1930s, and has been the
subject of medical research for well over 60 years. It is considered
"suspected," and not "proven" a distinction invoked by talc apologists
as an excuse...a meaningless distinction in context of medical
practice.Informed Neglect: Cosmetics companies are well aware of the
reports. Industrialists represented more than half of the "participants"
in a Food & Drug Administration (FDA) workshop on talc and health in
1994. Informed Disdain: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is
well aware of it, too. Why did the FDA reject the first citizen petition
requesting carcinogenic labeling of talc powders? Why did FDA stack its
1994 workshop with industrialists? Why was R.J. Reynolds Tobacco invited
to participate?High Stakes: Ovarian cancer, America's leading cause
of gynecologic cancer death, is on the rise, killing more women every
year than the year before--a projected 14,800 in 1996. There is no
reliable early detection test. Five-year survival: Caucasians, 39
percent; African-Americans, 36 percent.Uncle Sam In Love: FDA
correspondence to US Senator Daniel Akaka on behalf of Ceil Sinnex in
1993 praised the alleged wonders of the caustic substance: "Talcum
powder...is one of the most widely used toiletries ...because of its
absorbent, mildly water-repellent, anti-chafing properties as well as
the improvement in skin feel (i.e., 'slip') imparted to the skin."
If Uncle Sam is selling cancer, on whom can we
rely?
OVARIAN PLUS International Newsletter is
published by Ceil Sinnex, the world's
first ovarian cancer advocate, fighting for our rights since 1990.
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