Walgreens class action claims benzoyl peroxide acne products contain benzene

Walgreens benzoyl peroxide class action overview: 

• Who: Plaintiffs Grace Navarro and Chatham Mullins filed a class action lawsuit against Walgreens Boots Alliance over its benzoyl peroxide acne treatment drug products.
• Why: The lawsuit claims Walgreens’ benzoyl peroxide products contain the human carcinogen benzene.
• Where: The Walgreens class action was filed in federal court in California.

Walgreens Boots Alliance faces a class action lawsuit alleging its benzoyl peroxide (BPO) acne treatment drug products contain dangerous levels of benzene.

In 2023, independent laboratory Valisure tested a representative sample of the BPO products and found benzene levels many times higher than allowed in any regulated drug, the class action lawsuit claims.

Benzene is a human carcinogen that leads to increased risk of blood cancers and other adverse effects even when exposure comes in low amounts, according to the lawsuit.

The benzoyl peroxide benzene is a result of ingredient degradation, which leads to dangerous levels of benzene even outside of the product.

“If benzene is found in any on-market or post-market product, the drug is adulterated, unlawful and the drug manufacturer must contact the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiate a voluntary recall,” the class action lawsuit says.

Benzene levels in BPO products 800 times FDA limit, class action claims

Valisure filed a citizen’s petition with the FDA on March 5 asking for the recall of all BPO products, the class action states. That petition is pending.

Valisure’s testing showed benzene levels as high as 1,600 parts per million in the Walgreens 2.5% benzoyl peroxide cream, according to the lawsuit. The FDA limit is 2 ppm. It also found benzene formed at 800 times the FDA limit in BPO products generally.

Walgreens never listed benzene as an ingredient in its BPO products nor did it warn customers of the carcinogen’s existence in the products, the class action alleges.

“Defendant misled the plaintiffs, the putative classes and the public by representing the BPO products were safe while concealing material health and safety information known to them, e.g., that the BPO products degraded to benzene, or were contaminated with benzene,” the class action lawsuit says.

The Walgreens class action follows a similar lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson over its BPO products.

Have you purchased benzoyl peroxide products from Walgreens? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by R. Brent Wisner and Stephanie B. Sherman of Wisner Baum LLP.

The Walgreens benzoyl peroxide class action lawsuit is Navarro, et al. v. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-00290-SKO, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:

• MISSHA, A’pieu class action claims sunscreen falsely advertised as waterproof
• Aquaphor class action alleges company falsely advertises lip-repair products preservative-free
• Unilever to pay $2M settlement in Suave deodorant benzene class action
• Heritage Store Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash recall issued due to lack of child-resistant packaging