Alarm due to the detection of a powerful carcinogenic compound in 78 batches of solar products

Have been detected traces of a chemical linked to blood cancers, including leukemia, in dozens of popular sunscreens and after-sun products, based on tests performed by the online pharmacy and the laboratory Valisure.

This has been found benzene, a known carcinogen, in 78 of the nearly 300 sprays and lotions tested, about 27%, including products sold by Banana Boat and CVS, according to Valuation. In a petition, the company asked the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recall these contaminated lots. The regulator reviews the request.

Sunscreens and after-sunscreens, classified as cosmetics, are generally subject to FDA regulations. “The FDA takes all safety concerns about the products we regulate, including sunscreens, seriously.” they said of the body to CBS News it is a statement.

The chemical is identified as “A colorless or light yellow liquid chemical at room temperature.” Valuation stipulate that it has been used “mainly as a solvent in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries”.

Valuation also reported that 14 lots of sunscreen products are sold with some of the highest contaminations in four different popular brands: Neutrogena, Sun Bum, CVS Health and Fruit of the Earth. All products of the brands mentioned above do not contain benzene, and lists of products that contain and do not contain benzene are included below in the Valisure application form.

For example, a sun spray Ultra Sheer Weightless by Neutrogena, Ultra-transparent and lightweight SPF 100+ sunscreen spray, SPF 70 they were Of the 14 products, Valisure claims to have some of the highest benzene levels ever tested. But products like Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion and Oil-Free Face Moisturizer with SPF 15 Sunscreen do not contain the carcinogen.

All samples tested “contained up to three times the FDA Restricted Concentration Limit of 2 parts per million” of benzene, according to the Valisure website. David Lumière, founder and CEO of the company, ensures that the problem is manufacturing contamination that affects specific lots. While the source of the contaminant is unknown and more products tested have passed than failed, Light urged manufacturers and consumers to take the issue seriously.

“Benzene it is one of the most studied and disturbing human carcinogens known to science. His association with the formation of blood cancers in humans was shown in many studies at trace levels of parts per million and below. The presence of this known human carcinogen in products widely recommended for the prevention of skin cancer and what are they used regularly by adults and children is of great concern “, said in the company’s statement.

Light also urged the FDA to better define your pollution standards Yes “Filling the current regulatory gaps regarding benzene in drugs and cosmetics. ” In addition, encourages people to submit their own samples of sunscreen and sunscreen products for evaluation.

The company has also made public its petition to fda, which included a list of lots with detected benzene levels. The products can be found on pages 12 to 15. Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of the products Neutral, said during a dialogue with the information division that “Benzene is not an ingredient in any of our personal care products.”

The manufacturer of Banana boat He also defended his products, stating that “Our sun protection products are rigorously tested to ensure safety and quality and to comply with all FDA regulations.”

For its part, CVS said in a statement that products that sold are ‘safe’ and ‘we are reviewing and evaluating information relating to Valisure’s claim and will respond accordingly.

Even like that, Valisure has stressed to consumers that they should not avoid using sunscreen and should continue to use it. “It is important that people, especially during the summer months, understand that many sun products tested by Valisure were free from benzene contamination, and these products are likely safe and should continue to be used, as well as hats and protective clothing to reduce the risk of skin cancer, ”said Dr. Christophe Bunick, Associate Professor of Dermatology at the Yale University.

Consulted hereby, the dermatologist Irene Bermejo, member of the Argentine Society of Dermatology explained, “One of the things I always advise is that the products are FDA approved and go through strict controls as it is very difficult to make good quality sunscreens. For it Sometimes people wonder why sunscreens are so expensive. This is because very complex technologies are used to test them. That’s why I recommend using dermatological products with rigorous testing and with minimal possibility of contamination ”.

The leukemia (cancer of the hematopoietic organs), anemia (decrease in red blood cells), excessive bleeding and the decrease in the size of the ovaries have been linked to prolonged exposure to benzene, according to information from the Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention and the US Department of Health and Human Services.

According to Light, benzene is a known pollutant in the oil industry, And there are many petroleum products that are found in cosmetics, lotions, and creams. “In that case, it really seems to be a manufacturing pollution problem, not an inherent problem with sunscreen ”, insured. And he concluded, “People should keep using sunscreen, I think that’s an important message to get across.”

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