Benzene: High Amounts of Carcinogen Detected In Deodorants

Valisure, a digital pharmacy that helps chemically evaluate and validate medications for quality and consistency, recently brought up a petition that shows Benzene, a known human carcinogen, has been identified in several hand sanitiser brands, sunscreen, and deodorant.

According to the report submitted to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Valisure tested numerous deodorant body sprays and antiperspirant brands. They detected high levels of industrial chemicals in multiple batches. 108 batches from 30 different trademarks were tested, and 54 per cent contained detectable Benzene. Some batches showed up to nine times the emergency FDA limit.

“Benzene in such high levels being present in daily use products like body sprays is very concerning. These findings add to our now confirmed discovery of Benzene in sunscreens, after-sun care products, and hand sanitisers, helping us a pattern of carcinogen contamination in consumer healthcare products.”,” said David Light, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Valisure.

“It is appalling that the benzene issue is so widespread and prevalent,” he lamented, clarifying that the percentage is among the highest they’ve recorded, contrasted with recent research regarding consumer healthcare products.

Valisure has asked for a total recall of the contaminated batches while requesting the FDA better outline benzene contamination limits for drug and cosmetic products.

“It appears that manufacturing these products without Benzene is entirely possible considering many of the body spray products tested did not contain detectable levels of the carcinogen. Considering how widespread these products are, any substantial detection of Benzene is intolerable,” Valisure’s petition stated.

Benzene issues could be traced back to the raw materials at the beginning of the supply chain, and if this issue isn’t caught in the beginning or caught during the supply chain process, it will end up in the final product, the online pharmacy informed.