Neutrogena and Banana Boat, two of the best known names in the sunscreen industry, are accused of having a canrcinogen in many of their products.
The allegations are contained in two suits filed in federal courts that seek class action status so that all users of the products can be included as plaintiffs.
The suits are the opening salvo of what is expected to be a host of actions against the industry following disclosure by a New Haven pharmaceutical company in May that it discovered benzene in more than 60 products.
“Valisure LLC has tested and detected high levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen, in several brands and batches of sunscreen,” the company announced May 25.
“Benzene is known to cause cancer in humans according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the World Health Organization, and other regulatory agencies,” the company said.
The company says that benzene was also found in after-sun care products, “which are generally regulated by FDA as cosmetics.”
There are many sunscreen products, the company said, that in initial testing did not appear to contain benzene. The list can be found here.
The Banana Boat lawsuit can be found here.
The Neutrogena lawsuit can be found here.
