La Roche-Posay (cosmetics)

History

2025: Recall of defective products due to its benzene content causing leukemia

L'Oreal announced the withdrawal of funds from Effaclar Duo acne under the La Roche-Posay brand in the United States after identifying benzene in the composition, which can cause leukemia. The company confirmed the existence of a marriage on March 10, 2025, indicating that the problem affected a limited batch of products.

According to Bloomberg, testing revealed trace amounts of benzene in one batch of the product. Benzene is a known carcinogen that can cause leukemia in large quantities, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. L'Oreal officials said that in close coordination with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the company made a preventative decision to remove the remaining limited amount of Effaclar Duo's active roster from retailers.

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Фото: La Roche-Posay

The cause of contamination is associated with the characteristics of the composition of the drug. Effaclar Duo is made from benzoyl peroxide, an antibacterial component that kills bacteria and helps treat acne. Under certain circumstances, especially at high temperatures, this compound can disintegrate to form benzene, which is a natural component of crude oil, gasoline and tobacco smoke.

L'Oreal said an improved formula for Effaclar Duo, which has been under development since 2024, will soon be available. The new version of the product should solve the identified problem with the formation of benzene. Amid news of the cream recall, L'Oreal's US depositary receipts fell 0.2% in New York trading.

The problem of benzene contamination of cosmetics is more widespread than the case with L'Oreal products. A year earlier, Connecticut-based independent lab Valisure found elevated levels of benzene in many popular benzoyl peroxide products, including acne remedies from the Clearasil, Proactiv, Target Up & Up, Taro, Clinique and others brands. The lab appealed to the FDA to withdraw all contaminated^[1]

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