The FDA confirmed Thursday that it was investigating the issue and directed manufacturers to test their products for the contaminant. Multiple aerosol personal care products from other manufacturers have since been recalled over the presence of benzene, but a broader explanation for how benzene contamination became so widespread is, for now, a mystery. At the time of the recall, Johnson & Johnson said it was investigating the matter, and a spokesperson last week provided no new information. It’s still unclear why benzene was found in the aerosol products. That’s based on independent standards organizations that say daily exposure above that threshold is associated with increased cancer risks. The FDA advises that manufacturers should limit benzene levels in consumer products and drugs to no more than 2 parts per million. The Johnson & Johnson products were the first to be recalled after the findings were released. Short-term exposure to benzene can cause dizziness and headaches, while long-term exposure causes certain types of cancer and blood disorders.Ĭoncerns about benzene in aerosol sunscreen emerged in the spring of 2021 when an independent testing organization, Valisure, released a study that detected the contaminant in dozens of those products. The products-including several of Johnson & Johnson’s Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreens-were recalled in July after tests by the company detected benzene in multiple samples. And while Johnson & Johnson says that the levels found would not be expected to pose a health risk to consumers, the FDA report and scientists CR spoke with say otherwise. "I have a trunk full of sunscreens for everybody," he said.The Food and Drug Administration misled the public earlier this year about the risks posed by aerosol sunscreen products made by Johnson & Johnson that were found to be contaminated with benzene, a known carcinogen, an agency report obtained by Consumer Reports suggests. The FDA said that given the recognized public health benefits of sunscreen, parents should continue to use broad spectrum sunscreens with SPF 15 or higher.įriedman said several summer camps are collecting all forms of aerosol sun block, not just J&J, including Camp Tawanda in Honsedale, Pennsylvania, his children's sleep away camp, where Friedman is volunteering as camp doctor. Joe Schwarcz, a chemistry professor and director of the Office for Science and Society at McGill University in Montreal said in an email that he believed “the risk is minimal because the dose of benzene is too small.” He said benzene is not a byproduct of sunscreen filters - the various minerals or chemicals used to block the sun's harmful rays.ĭr. Adam Friedman, a professor and chair of dermatology at George Washington University School of Medicine. Shares were flat on Friday at $168.12.īenzene is a chemical frequently used in manufacturing processes to make other chemicals, said Dr. In the U.S., the market was around $1.6 billion and J&J's sales were around $290 million, according to EuroMonitor. The market for suncare products was around $8 billion globally last year, and J&J sold around $620 million of its brands. CVS has halted sales of two of its sunburn healing products, which were in Valisure's petition. Valisure also found benzene in products made by other companies than J&J. He said that is because the contamination was found in a scattered fashion among brands, and even within brands, suggesting that it was unlikely to be a problem with the chemical or mineral active ingredients. "There's probably the most evidence for raw material contamination," Light said. On Friday, Valisure Chief Executive David Light said in an interview that he believes the benzene will likely be traced to contaminated raw materials and that he does not believe that the problem is inherent to aerosol sunscreens, or sunscreens in general. "We will continue to monitor sunscreen manufacturing and marketing to help ensure the availability of safe sunscreens for U.S. "The root cause of the benzene found in recalled sunscreen products is the focus of ongoing investigation," FDA spokesman Jeremy Kahn said. J&J, which issued a voluntarily recall of the five different Neutrogena and Aveeno brand products, began testing after Valisure - an online pharmacy that tests its products for contaminants - found benzene in dozens of suncare products and asked the FDA to look into it in May. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating how a cancer-causing chemical ended up in Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) sunscreens, after the company said it had done internal testing and found low levels of benzene in some, the regulator said on Friday.
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