Consumers in New York expect any items they purchase to be safe as long as the products are used according to the directions on the label. Federal regulations vary when it comes to what must be reviewed or inspected, and how products must be labeled. However, manufacturers have a duty to the public to perform adequate tests and provide all the relevant information.

Bloomberg reports that thousands of women may have been exposed to an increased risk of ovarian cancer after using talcum powder on the genital area, and one family has won a wrongful death lawsuit against the manufacturer. The company has denied the association between its talcum powder and ovarian cancer because research results appear to be inconsistent. However, many have argued that although the studies are limited, there is enough evidence to warrant a warning label on the product. Juries have agreed in more than one case, and millions of dollars in settlements have been awarded.

The American Cancer Society notes that there have been several human studies investigating whether the long-term use of talcum powder on the genital area could cause cancer. The results were evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and they were strong enough to warrant a classification that this usage may be carcinogenic.

In addition to researching outcomes of the human use of talcum powder and its possible link to ovarian cancer, scientists have also performed studies in laboratories with controlled settings. They discovered that tumors have developed in some laboratory animals after a variety of exposure techniques, a fact that experts agree supports the need for further research.