Johnson & Johnson Recalling Neutrogena and Aveeno Sunscreens Over Benzene Traces
General exterior view of the head office of Janssen pharmaceutical company on April 15, 2021 in Leiden, Netherlands. The start of vaccinations in Europe with the coronavirus vaccine that was developed by Janssen Vaccines in Leiden, has been put on hold. A study is currently underway in the United States, where the Janssen vaccine has been used for some time, into reports of unusual blood clots, in combination with a reduced number of platelets. Niels Wenstedt/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is recalling five of its Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreen products after low levels of benzene were found in samples.

USA Today reported that benzene is a chemical that can cause cancer with repeated exposure. The company announced the recall on Wednesday, July 14. It advised consumers to stop using the products.

The said products are Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen and four Neutrogena sunscreen versions, namely Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen, UltraSheer aerosol sunscreen, and CoolDry Sport aerosol sunscreen.

According to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) website, these products are sold in aerosol cans, and the recall includes all can sizes and all levels of sun protection factor (SPF). The products were distributed nationwide through retailers.

J&J said it is working on getting all of the products removed from store shelves. The company is also encouraging consumers to call 1-800-458-1673 to get a refund, NBC News reported.

What is Benzene?

Benzene is a colorless, flammable liquid and quickly evaporates when exposed to air. It is usually produced from natural processes like volcanoes and forest fires.

The chemical is also considered to be among the 20 most widely used chemicals in the United States. It is used primarily as starting chemicals in making other chemicals such as detergents and pesticides, according to the American Cancer Society.

Benzene is also known to cause cancer based on evidence from studies in both people and lab animals. It has been linked to leukemia and other cancers of blood cells.

Rates of leukemia are higher in studies of workers exposed to high levels of benzene, particularly those in chemical, shoemaking, and oil refining industries.

It is also classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a part of the World Health Organization (WHO).

IARC said that benzene exposure had been related to acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

In a statement, J&J said the use of products would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences, adding that they decided to recall the said Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreen products out of caution.

Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine

The FDA recently announced a new warning for J&J's COVID vaccine, saying that the developer's vaccine has been linked to a serious but rare autoimmune disorder.

Reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome have been detected in about 100 of those who received the vaccine, CNBC News reported. The syndrome symptoms mostly appeared in males who are 50 years and older two weeks after their shot.

Guillain-Barre occurs when the body's immune system attacks parts of the nervous system. It is a rare neurological disorder.

Meanwhile, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), Pfizer and Moderna's COVID vaccines do not show a similar pattern.

J&J said it has been in discussions with the FDA and other regulators about the disorder. The company noted that the chance of having the syndrome is very low, with the rate of reported cases exceeding the background rate by a small degree.

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Written by: Mary Webber

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