Does Talcum Powder Cause Cancer? Separating Fact from Fear  

This post was written by Izzy Adler and Sinead Rhodes

Recent reports and social media panic have sparked concern about the potential carcinogenic risks of talcum powder. The BBC’s recent story detailing a large-scale court case against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) over the risk has further raised public concern through its definitive language. However, as is often the case, you will have to go beyond a sensationalised headline to find the substance of the report. 

A closer examination of the article and evidence reveals a more nuanced and complex relationship between talcum powder and cancer. To understand this issue, it is essential to understand carcinogens and where they can be found. A carcinogen is a substance that has the potential to cause cancer.  

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification system provides a framework for evaluating the carcinogenic risks of different substances. Talc has been classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A). It is important not to misinterpret the classification; this does not mean you will ‘probably’ get cancer.  

It means that while there is some evidence suggesting a possible link between talcum powder and cancer, the evidence is not yet conclusive. The IARC classification of talcum powder as “probably carcinogenic” considers both the potential risks associated with asbestos-containing talc and asbestos-free talc. 

The BBC article explains that the basis of the court case is J&J’s alleged long-term knowledge that their talcum powder contained asbestos, a carcinogen. We cannot comment on whether J&J knew about the asbestos; that is up to the courts. 

However, if contamination did occur, it could have happened when the Talc mineral was extracted from the earth, because asbestos is often found near Talc. However, most modern cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies are careful to use asbestos-free talcum powder, and the risk of asbestos contamination is relatively low. 

Some studies have suggested a possible link between using asbestos-free talcum powder on the female genital area and ovarian cancer. These findings are not universal and are often based on small sample sizes. A 2024 review of the evidence by the IARC concluded that “the evidence for a carcinogenic effect of talc in humans is limited”. This suggests that while there may be some evidence to suggest a link, like our other articles on coffee and red meat, evidence is not yet strong enough to confirm that talcum powder is the cause of the cancer. 

We know that asbestos-containing talc is a carcinogen, but we’re still unsure about the potential cancer-causing effects of asbestos-free talcum. More research is needed to fully understand the relationship between uncontaminated talcum powder and cancer, and to determine whether asbestos-free talc poses a significant cancer risk.