Johnson & Johnson still struggles against thousands of cases involving its talcum powder

A jury in St. Louis awarded nearly $ 4.7 billion in damages to a group of women who claimed that Johnson & Johnson's talcum products led them to develop ovarian cancer. But the company is still struggling with thousands of cases involving its baby powder.

Toni Roberts, 61, believes that the company's talcum powder products caused her ovarian cancer, and a Missouri jury agreed. The lawyers argued that the pharmaceutical company was still selling and potentially selling talc products, such as baby powder, contaminated with asbestos – a mineral found in talc that was linked to lung cancer.

Roberts said that she began using Johnson & Johnson's teenager for feminine hygiene purposes and was diagnosed with cancer in 2014.

"I was surprised when I developed indigestion and in less than a week I was told that I had ovarian cancer ", did she say.

But science links Johnson & Johnson's products to cancer. The American Cancer Society said: "There is very little evidence at the moment that other forms of cancer are related to the use of talc by consumers."

In a statement, Johnson & Johnson said: "

In some previous cases, the company has successfully appealed.

"The call is critical," said CBS News legal analyst Rikki Klieman. . "Johnson & Johnson is very confident that this will be reduced by the judge or overturned on appeal."

Roberts said that she can not live to see what happens next, since her cancer is now terminal.

"This is not how I wanted to live my life," she said, "I wanted to spend time with my sons, I wanted to spend time with my grandchildren." [19659002AsbestoswasfoundintheovariantissueofseveralofthewomeninthiscaseAtthenationallevelJohnson&Johnsonfightsabout9000othercasesoftalc