Category: Cosmetics

The verdict is the largest J&J has faced to date over allegations that its talc-based products cause cancer.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/johnson-johnson-to-pay-47bn-damages-in-case-linking-cancer-and-baby-powder/article24408535.ece

Nothing is more important to you than your child’s health. You are careful about the foods they eat, you make sure they get plenty of sun and physical activity, and you try to limit their exposure to environmental toxins likecigarette smoke.

But you could be bathing them in toxins every night. Johnson & Johnson, the world’s largest producer of baby hygiene products, uses a whole host of products that don’t belong anywhere near a baby’s skin. Find out what Johnson & Johnson products could be doing to your baby’s skin and immune system.

Your Child’s Delicate Immune System

The immune system of a baby is extremely delicate, but if you put babies in bubbles, they won’t get exposure to pathogens and bugs that can work their immune systems and help their systems grow. And if you flood their bodies with toxins and unnatural ingredients, you may be setting them up for a lifetime of chronic illness, autoimmune issues, and poor health.

Unfortunately, the products sold by Johnson & Johnson test your child’s immune system in the worst possible way. They trigger overzealous immune responses, irritate your child’s skin, and leave the immune system weak and vulnerable to other pathogens and diseases.

Ingredients Found in Johnson & Johnson Products

Grab your nearest Johnson & Johnson product and start reading the ingredients label. You’ll be surprised to find out how many product names you can’t pronounce or have never seen before.

Quaternium-15 is one of the main carcinogens found in Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. This chemical releases formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that can build up on your baby’s skin over time.

1,4-dioxane is the other main toxin found in Johnson & Johnson products. The Environmental Protection Agency notes that 1,4-dioxane is linked to headaches, vertigo, drowsiness, skin irritation, and liver damage.

Healthy Alternatives

Though Johnson & Johnson now claims that they are in the process of removing toxic ingredients from their American products, no one knows how long this process may take. Furthermore, do you want to continue financially supporting a company that has shown a callous disregard for your family’s health?

Other companies have toxin-free Johnson & Johnson products, including Japan, Sweden, Finland, South Africa, Norway, and Denmark. There’s no reason that the United States should be waiting years for the same.

Instead, you may wish to move to more healthy alternatives for your child’s health and bathing needs. Burt’s Bees makes healthy products, although some do not like the smell on their infants.

Earth Mama Angel Baby is another popular company that is based in the United States. They focus solely on products for babies, so you may be able to replace all of your Johnson & Johnson products in one fell swoop.

Other companies with natural baby products include BabyGanics, Aveeno, California Baby, and Little Twig. Get samples and see what’s best for your baby.

When you know better, you do better. This is true in all aspects of parenting. Now that you know what Johnson & Johnson is doing to your baby’s body, you can make a better choice and protect your little one.

http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/dioxane.html

http://www.realfarmacy.com/johnson-johnson-may-poisoning-child/

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/johnson-johnson-to-phase-out-potentially-harmful-chemicals-by-2015/

 

http://www.fhfn.org/johnson-johnson-admits-baby-products-contain-cancer-causing-formaldehyde/

A chemical found in one of North America’s most popular toothpastes, Colgate Total, has been linked to cancer and other harmful health ailments.

It’s called triclosan, it’s also used  in antiperspirants/deodorants, cleansers, and hand sanitizers as a preservative and an anti-bacterial agent. In addition to cosmetics and Colgate toothpaste, triclosan is  used as an antibacterial agent in laundry detergent, facial tissues, and antiseptics for wounds, as well as a preservative to resist bacteria, fungus, mildew and odors in other household products that are sometimes advertized as “anti-bacterial.” These products include garbage bags, toys, linens, mattresses, toilet fixtures, clothing, furniture fabric, and more.

A recent study published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology found that the chemical encourages cancer-cell growth. Various studies over the past few years have clearly outlined the health dangers associated with this chemical.(1)

Don’t forget, the government and corporations used to tell us that asbestos, PCB’s and DDT were all deemed safe and effective, yet all of these chemicals have since been banned.

Triclosan can also pass through the skin and interfere with hormone function (endocrine disruption). (2)(3) It doesn’t stop there, a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives from 2008 shows how scientists detected triclosan in the urine of nearly 75 percent of those tested (2,517 people age six or older). (4)

The Canadian Medical Association has even called for a ban on products that contain Triclosan. (5)

Colgate says that the chemical is safe, in doing so they cited the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA)  process that led to its approval in the first place. But according to Bloomberg:

“A closer look at that application process, however, reveals that some of the scientific findings Colgate put forward to establish triclosan’s safety in toothpaste weren’t black and white — and weren’t, until this year, available to the public.” (source)

Believe it or not, these documents were actually withheld from public viewing by the FDA. It’s also important to note that major corporations and the FDA are pretty much the same thing, and these corporations have a big influence over government policy. The only reason that the documents were recently released is because of a lawsuit that was filed over a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

The FDA report raised concerns that the chemical could cause cancer. You can view the release of the document HERE.

According to Bloomberg:

“The pages show how even with one of the U.S.’s most stringent regulatory processes — FDA approval of a new drug — the government relies on company-backed science to show products are safe and effective. The recently released pages, taken alongside new research on triclosan, raise questions about whether the agency did appropriate due diligence in approving [Colgate] Total 17 years ago, and whether its approval should stand in light of new research, said three scientists who reviewed the pages at Bloomberg News’s request.”(source)

Despite all the evidence, Colgate still maintains that everything is fine and there is nothing to worry about. Will you believe them? Will you continue to put your trust in these corporations instead of doing the research yourself? By now it’s clear that these corporations are not really concerned with safety or care, but more so about profit and making people sick, as well as contributing to the concealment of scientific data. The same shareholders that own these companies who are behind the distribution of these products are also holding major shares in various drug companies. There is profit to be had from making people sick.

Colgate has said that it has no plans to reformulate the toothpaste.

It’s remarkable how easy it is to head over to the drug-store to pick up cosmetics, household cleaning products, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and other necessities without ever thinking about how it’s made, what goes into it, the science behind it and the health hazards that are associated with doing so.

More information is coming to light, especially within the past few years. The rate at which people are waking up and starting to critically question what we choose to surround ourselves with on  a daily basis is increasing exponentially. Most importantly, people are starting to make better choices.

Sources:

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/97/020231_total_toc.cfm

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-11/in-35-pages-buried-at-fda-worries-over-colgate-s-total.html

http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/chemicals-in-your-cosmetics—triclosan/

(1) http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/tx5000156

(2) Calafat, A. “Urinary Concentrations of Triclosan in the U.S. Population: 2003-2004.” _Environ Health Perspect _116, 3(Mar 2008):303-307

(3) Gee, RH et al. “Oestrogenic and androgenic activity of triclosan in breast cancer cells.” Appl Toxicol.28, 1 (Jan 2008):78-91

(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2265044/

(5)http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/experts-concerned-about-dangers-of-antibacterial-products/article4282875/

Original Story at http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/09/13/chemical-found-in-colgate-total-toothpaste-linked-to-cancer/

We at Consumer Education & Research Center (CERC) are working on a project on “Health Hazards in Cosmetic Products”.

As you may be aware, the Indian cosmetics Industry is estimated at Rs. 150 billion and is expected to grow at over 10% annually but the cosmetics industry as a whole has not kept pace with safety innovations due to a weak regulatory system that encourages ignorance about chemical hazards. There are various harmful chemicals present in cosmetics, of which several test findings have shown the presence of heavy metals. Moreover, cosmetics are used almost on a daily basis; hence even minute amounts of chemicals which are applied regularly will cause a cumulative effect.

We are conducting a research survey on cosmetics.  The objective of the survey is to analyze the general prevailing rules as well as to understand regulations concerning cosmetics safety in India. Survey will also reveal the present status of the level of awareness of the health hazards in the cosmetic products. It will also help us to understand the common consumer’s concern with respect to safety and a thorough understanding of the product safety issues for the cosmetic sector.

A gentle reminder to kindly respond to our earlier survey on cosmetic product safety.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WP8HSQB

This survey questionnaire (Part II) deals with specific categories of cosmetics under study; namely kajal, eyeliner, lipstick, hair dye and nail polish.

We would be obliged if you could send us your completed questionnaire latest by December 19, 2014.

Kindly find a questionnaire at the links given below.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7BMR2D3

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Anindita Mehta

DGM – Laboratory

Consumer Education & Research Center