The acne treatment market is expected to be worth more than $10 billion and will exceed $15 billion by the end of this decade as millions of consumers use such products to improve their skin. However, a recent report from the independent lab Valisure concludes that most such products contain benzoyl peroxide which contains high levels of benzene, a chemical that can cause cancer.
According to the report, benzene limits in most benzoyl peroxide products can reach undesirable levels and even exceed 800 times the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s concentration limit for benzene.
How were the tests conducted?
Valisure reached the conclusions after extensive tests, during which benzoyl peroxide acne products were stored at high temperatures. According to a CNN report, researchers left the products in a car at a temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 days. The findings lead to the conclusion that under such levels of heat, the products produced high levels of benzene.
In one test, researchers also found benzene gas in the air around the product.
The laboratory results also mention that tests have shown that acne products containing salicylic acid or adapalene do not cause the same problems as high concentrations of benzene or even the air around them.
Petition to FDA
ValleySure has sent a petition to the US Food and Drug Administration saying that out of 175 acne products it tested, 99 were found to contain benzoyl peroxide and 94 such products were found to contain native benzene.
The petition says it “requests the recall and suspension of sales of products containing the active pharmaceutical ingredient benzoyl peroxide.”
The US FDA accepted the petition and said it was in the process of verifying the data provided to make a regulatory decision. “The agency acts on information provided from a variety of sources, such as that provided by Valiser, but requires such data to be accurate and reproducible before they are used to make regulatory decisions such as recommending product sales suspensions and recalls. Must be verified as eligible.” The FDA statement said.
“The agency will continue to provide updates to the public regarding benzene in drug products as appropriate. Drug manufacturers need to ensure the safety and quality of their medicines.”
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Published: March 10, 2024, 03:39 PM IST
