Most Recent Toxic Benzene Incident Linked to Distributor Partnered with FDA

Updated

By Tracy Beanz & Michelle Edwards

The cancer-causing chemical benzene is in the news again. Benzene is colorless or light yellow at room temperature and is highly flammable. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that it evaporates into the air very quickly, is heavier than air, and dissolves only slightly in water, instead of floating on top. Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires. It is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline, and cigarette smoke. However, big industry has taken over and catapulted benzene to rank as one of the top 20 chemicals widely used in the United States. Highly toxic and a known carcinogen, benzene increases the risk of leukemia, blood disorders, and several forms of cancer. And, as proven to be the case with most profitable poisons, benzene has found its way into products regularly used by men, women, and children, including hand sanitizers, acne creams, deodorants, dry shampoos, sunscreens, and generic over-the-counter cold medicines.

A Google search will tell you that benzene is used primarily as a solvent in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as a starting material and an intermediate in synthesizing numerous chemicals, and in gasoline. The unsafe pollutant was one of the dangerous chemicals on board when a freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, and the source of serious pollution violations for plastics plants, including record levels at a Shell plant in Pennsylvania, which crippled residents with headaches, nausea, irritated throats and watery eyes. But clearly, and especially in the last four years with the promoted illness and fears around COVID-19, besides the industrial mishaps with benzene, the chemical has undoubtedly touched and entered the bodies of millions upon millions of Americans as they practiced basic hygiene, over-sanitized their hands, and treated cold and flu-like symptoms.

In 2021, Johnson & Johnson was slapped with a class-action lawsuit after announcing that it was recalling five of its spray sunscreens due to the presence of cancer-causing benzene. The case remains ongoing. In a 2023 article titled ‘What is benzene, and why does it keep causing beauty product recalls,’ the Washington Post asked the critical question: How does benzene get into beauty products? According to the article, butane-powered propellants in aerosol sprays were among the highest risk categories for benzene contamination in consumer products. The article included a timeline of benzene recalls, including a plethora of brands commonly used by millions, reporting that:

May 2021 Valisure tells FDA it has detected benzene in dozens of sun care products.

July 2021 Johnson & Johnson recalls specific lots of Neutrogena and Aveeno spray sunscreens.

Sept. 2021 Biersdorf recalls some Pure & Simple Baby, Sport Mineral, and Coppertone sprays.

Oct. 2021 Bayer recalls certain Tinactin and Lotrimin antifungal sprays.

Nov. 2021 Odor-Eaters and Stink Stoppers recall some foot sprays.

Nov. 2021 Procter & Gamble recalls some lots of Old Spice and Secret antiperspirants.

Dec. 2021 P&G recalls some Waterless, Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, Old Spice, and Hair Food dry shampoo sprays.

Feb. 2022 HRB Brands recalls some Sure and Brut sprays.

Mar. 2022 Unilever recalls some lots of Suave antiperspirants.

July 2022 Edgewell Personal Care recalls some Banana Boat Hair & Scalp sunscreens.

Oct. 2022 Unilever recalls some lots of Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TRESemmé, Rockaholic, and Bed Head dry shampoos.

Feb 2023 Edgewell announces another lot of Banana Boat sunscreen to be recalled.

The recalls noted above of deodorants and sunscreens came to pass after Valisure, an independent lab in New Haven, Connecticut, published two studies detecting benzene in “dozens of deodorant and sunscreen brands.” The WaPo article remarked that, following the Valisure study, several firms announced product recalls. The article then reassures readers that the benzene contamination is limited to butane-powered propellants, noting that alternative technologies exist that don’t contain benzene, like Whole Foods canola oil cooking spray. Billionaire Jeff Bezos owns both Whole Foods and WaPo, so that makes sense, right? “Just check the label,” they advise, and look for ingredients that end in “-ane,” such as propane, butane, and isobutane.

Yet, here we are, and exposure to toxic benzene clearly extends way beyond butane-powered aerosol products, which, by the way, include many more products than deodorants and sunscreens. Did Valisure check all of them? Presently, the most recent mention of unexpected exposure to deadly cancer-causing benzene hit the news on August 12, 2024, when Bloomberg reported it discovered that generic brands of the cold-relief medicine Mucinex, sold at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and other U.S. retailers are made with the deadly chemical.

Bloomberg reported that U.S. regulators have allowed drugmakers to use benzene for decades, even though international authorities have said they shouldn’t. In recent years, raising concerns, the article notes that testing has found dangerously high levels of benzene in some products in the U.S., adding that last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated the toxic ingredient would be phased out of pharmaceutical use in 2025. However, that deadline has now been extended to 2026 following industry complaints. In late December, 2023, the FDA reported it was still “evaluating the root cause of benzene contamination in certain drugs.”

I guess it is not enough that a 2012 investigation focused specifically on mRNA expression levels of cell regulatory and DNA repair genes under exposure to benzene, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, concluded that exposure to benzene “significantly altered mRNA expression of some critical cell regulatory and DNA repair genes.” Understanding that mRNAis the new buzzword in medicine, the solution is simple—ban lethal benzene from any product that comes into contact with humans. In response to Bloomberg’s finding of benzene in products that enter the human body, FDA spokesperson Amanda Hill insisted:

“The FDA is continuously working to ensure that all drugs meet the highest quality standards with the health and well-being of Americans top of mind.”

Concerningly, Bloomberg reported that the benzene-tainted generic brand of extended-release Mucinex at all of the major U.S. chains was sourced from the same New Jersey company, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, which declined to respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment. Apparently, in an effort to cut costs, Amneal was using benzene as a carbomer in its generic cold product. Carbomers are used in cough syrup production, but benzene is not typically the one used. But that’s not all. With a little more digging, it turns out that Amneal, through its AvKARE segment, is a distributor of pharmaceuticals and other products for the U.S. federal government, including the FDA, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Veterans Health Affairs (VHA), Health and Human Services (HHS), state and local departments, as well as retail, and institutional markets.

The only recall listed on AvKARE’s website is from March 29, 2024, for “Atovaquone Oral Suspension, USP 750mg/5mL to the Consumer/User level, due to the potential Bacillus cereus contamination in the product found during stability testing at a 3rd party lab.” Moreover, it’s been over three weeks since Bloomberg found benzene in Amneal’s product, yet neither Amneal nor AvKARE have issued a recall. A search for benzene on the FDA’s Drug Recalls page, which lists “content current as of 8/24/2024” (twelve days after Bloomberg’s article), neglects to make any mention of the benzene-contaminated generic extended-release cold medicine. Like its lazy and extremely profitable relationship with COVID-19 “vaccine” manufacturers, instead of doing its taxpayer-funded job, the FDA allows companies like Amneal to monitor and police themselves and expects them to put the American people before profits. What’s wrong with this picture?  

Loud and clear, the most significant takeaway in this latest scandal involving benzene is that, contrary to FDA spokesperson Amanda Hill’s statement to Bloomberg, the FDA is NOT continuously working to ensure that all drugs meet the highest quality standards, with the health and well-being of Americans top of mind. No, indeed, cancer is surging at record levels, and the FDA cannot be trusted to safeguard the health of Americans.

 

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Tracy Beanz & Michelle Edwards

Tracy Beanz is an investigative journalist with a focus on corruption. She is known for her unbiased, in-depth coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. She hosts the Dark to Light podcast, found on all major video and podcasting platforms. She is a bi-weekly guest on the Joe Pags Radio Show, has been on Steve Bannon’s WarRoom and is a frequent guest on Emerald Robinson’s show. Tracy is Editor-in-chief at UncoverDC.com.