Cancer-causing substance found in dozens of sunscreens in us

An independent testing laboratory has found the chemical benzene, a known carcinogen, in 78 sunscreen products and is now urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to withdraw them. Writes about it Live Science.

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The Valisure laboratory tests the quality of medicines and health products. The company recently tested about 300 sunscreens and found that 27% contained benzene. Fourteen products (5%) contained benzene at levels above 2 parts per million (ppm), which is the FDA recommended limit for benzene in medicines that cannot be made without it.

“The presence of this known human carcinogen is very concerning,” said David Light, founder and CEO of Valisure.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), benzene is a colorless to light yellow liquid that occurs naturally, but is also produced by human activities.

For example, car emissions, coal and oil combustion can release benzene into the air. The chemical is also used in the manufacture of certain plastics, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides, according to the CDC.

Exposure to high levels of benzene causes cancer in people, especially blood cancers, including leukemia. According to the American Cancer Society, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration limits exposure to airborne benzene in the workplace to 1 ppm per day and a maximum of 5 ppm over a 15-minute period. The EPA limits the benzene content of drinking water to 0,005 ppm, or 5 ppb, which is also the limit for bottled water.

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The FDA states that benzene should not be used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, except in special circumstances, mainly if their use is unavoidable and the drug product is making significant therapeutic progress.

In these cases, benzene levels should be limited to 2 parts per million, “unless otherwise justified,” the FDA says. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a shortage of hand sanitizer, the FDA temporarily allowed hand sanitizer to contain up to 2 parts per million of benzene. But in March 2021, Valisure announced that it had found benzene above that level in nearly two dozen hand sanitizers, at least one of which was later recalled.

In light of its new discoveries regarding benzene in sunscreens, Valisure has asked the FDA to withdraw 78 products and conduct its own investigation into the production of these products. A complete list of benzene sunscreens can be found at link (on page 12, a list of foods high in benzene).

Almost all of the 14 sunscreen products with a benzene content above 2 ppm were sprays; but this chemical has also been found in lotions and gels.

While the FDA says benzene should not be used in drug manufacture, the agency does not specify specific restrictions for drugs such as sunscreen. The 2 particle limit applies only to “special circumstances”. Therefore, Valisure is urging the FDA to set a limit on benzene levels in sunscreens and other drugs in standard situations, and to set a limit for exposure within one day.

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Since benzene was not found in most of the sunscreens tested by Valisure, the company states that the use of benzene in sunscreens is not "necessary" and any detectable amount of the chemical should not be allowed.

“It is critical that regulators address benzene contamination in sunscreens so that all people feel safe using sunscreen products,” Dr. Christopher Bunick, assistant professor of dermatology at Yale University, said in a statement.

The FDA said it is reviewing the petition. “The FDA takes seriously any safety issues related to the products we regulate, including sunscreens. While the agency evaluates the citizen petition, we will continue to monitor the sunscreen market to ensure safe sunscreens are available to U.S. consumers." said in a statement by the department.

The results do not mean that people should stop using sunscreen.

“Many sunscreen products tested by Valisure do not contain benzene, and these products are presumed to be safe and should continue to be used in conjunction with appropriate hats and sun protective clothing to reduce the risk of skin cancer,” Bunik said.

Also, do not forget that with the beginning of the beach season, you need to know how to choose the right sunscreen, what SPF is, how much cream you need to apply and what other methods of protection exist - read about all this in our material.

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