The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) scheduled oral arguments for January 26, 2023, to decide whether all lawsuits filed against the manufacturers of various hair relaxer brands should be consolidated in one Federal Court under MDL proceedings. At this time, the results of this hearing are pending, and more information is soon to follow. A decision could be made in about two weeks or so. Please stay tuned for updates.

Chemical straighteners marketed for African-American women like Dark & Lovely, Just for Me, Optimum, ORS Olive Oil, Motions, and other hair relaxers have been marketed as safe for many years. These marketing campaigns specifically targeted African-American women looking to remove the natural curls in their hair. However, recent scientific studies have found that these hair relaxers or at-home perms exposed women to dangerous endocrine-disrupting chemicals, like phthalates, which increase cancer risk. Current studies focus on Uterine and Ovarian Caner. Therefore, women who have used these products for years and were later diagnosed with these cancers could potentially bring forth a legal claim.