THE US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently conducted independent testing of 95 acne treatment products containing benzoyl peroxide, when third-party test results raised concerns about elevated benzene levels.
Six of the products were found to have elevated levels, leading to voluntary recalls, including La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, Proactiv and Walgreens products.
Chronic exposure to benzene has been associated with an increased risk of leukemia and other blood disorders, and the FDA requires manufacturers to evaluate and test for potential contaminants, including benzene, to ensure the safety and quality of their products.
The agency has reassured the public that even with daily use of these products over an extended period, the risk of developing cancer from the detected benzene levels remains low.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has previously issued recalls of certain sunscreen products that were contaminated by benzene in 2021 and 2022.
It has been approached forcomment.
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