Jacqueline Fox, who died last year, had used Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder for 35 years on her genitals.

Talc, a mineral, is made up mainly of the elements magnesium, silicon and oxygen. Natural talc contains some asbestos, but this has been removed since the 1970s.

Fox joined more than 1200 women from across the country suing Johnson & Johnson (opens new window) for failing to warn consumers of the dangers associated with talc.

The American Cancer Society says:

"Many case-control studies have found a small increase in risk. But these types of studies can be biased because they often rely on a person's memory of talc use many years earlier.Two prospective cohort studies, which would not have the same type of potential bias, have not found an increased risk."

I suspect an appeal will likely severely reduce the fine or even reverse the decision.