Questions about the safety of cosmetic talc were raised nearly 40 years ago. The concern was historically focused on the toxicity of the talc itself, or trace contaminants – such as asbestos cleavage fragments or trace contamination by tremolite asbestos. Initially, the concerns about any hazard to consumers was dismissed because talc had been mined for decades, and if some engineering controls were used, the workers were generally not harmed. The primary occupational hazard was talcosis, and there was little indication that this disease produced an increased incidence of lung cancer.

Surprisingly, around 2015, a groundswell of claims were made regarding the asbestos content of cosmetic talc, and the initial allegations was that there was an increased risk of mesothelioma in those who used cosmetic talc products. Later, these concerns were broadened to include ovarian cancer. Since 2015, billions of dollars of awards were distributed by the American court system as a result of talc-related litigation.