Old Spice, Secret Recall Issued Over Benzene in Antiperspirant Aerosol Sprays

Proctor & Gamble is recalling Old Spice and Secret antiperspirant aerosol sprays, following a report earlier this month that found the products may expose users to high levels of benzene; a known cancer-causing agent.

The FDA announced the Old Spice and Secret recall on November 23, pulling nearly twenty separate Proctor & Gamble aerosol antiperspirant spray products from the market. The recall also comes after at least two class action lawsuits have been filed over the presence of benzene in the deodorant products.

About three weeks ago, the independent testing pharmacy Valisure released a report, which found high levels of benzene in Old Spice, Secret, Suave, and Tag deodorants and body sprays. Valisure filed a citizen’s petition with the FDA calling for a deodorant recall of the affected products.

Proctor & Gamble is agreeing to recall all lots certain Old Spice High Endurance, Hardest Working, Below Deck, and Pure Sport deodorants, as well as Secret Powder Fresh, Fresh Collection, Fresh Collection, and Outlast lines of sprays.

The recalled deodorant spray products were packaged in various sized  aerosol cans and were distributed nationwide through various retailers and online distributors, and are marked expiration dates through September 2023.

Proctor & Gamble Company have notified all of its retailers and online outlets to remove the products from store shelves and from online availability, and is instructing consumers to stop using the products immediately.

Customers with the recalled Old Spice and Secret spray deodorants are encouraged to contact P&G’s Consumer Care team at 888-339-7689 for more information about the impacted products and to learn how to receive reimbursement for eligible products.

Benzene is an industrial chemical associated with the development of several fatal forms of cancer, leukemia and other conditions, such as AML, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL), Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDL), Myelofibrosis and Myeloid Metaplasia, Aplastic Anemia and Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

The FDA categorizes benzene as a Class I Solvent, which should not be used in the making of drug products because of its toxicity. However, if a product must contain benzene, it should be limited to 2 parts per million (ppm).

The recall follows a growing number of Old Spice class action lawsuits filed since Valisure released its report finding some lots of Proctor & Gamble’s Secret Powder Fresh contained benzene levels exceeding 16 parts per million (ppm).

The Old Spice benzene lawsuits filed thus far all raise similar allegations claiming Proctor & Gamble failed to adequately screen its aerosol deodorant spray products for harmful chemicals, exposing consumers all across the nation to cancer causing chemicals.

The deodorant lawsuits follow the identification of benzene in many sunscreen spray products earlier this year, which led to a number of consumers filing sunscreen cancer lawsuits and class action claims against Johnson & Johnson, as well as other manufacturers.

Johnson & Johnson issued a Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreen spray recall in July 2021, after confirming the known human carcinogens was present in its products.

However, since the recall, at least eight class action complaints have been filed in different U.S. District Courts nationwide, each raising similar allegations that Johnson & Johnson endangered consumers’ health by not warning them of the presence of benzene in brands of Neutrogena and Aveeno spray sunscreen, which could increase their risk of cancer.