CVS pulls two products after Johnson & Johnson sunscreen recall

Traces of cancer-causing benzene found in lab tests

CVS Pharmacy is halting sales of two store-brand after-sun products, shortly after Johnson & Johnson announced the recall of five of its sunscreens

Johnson & Johnson took the step after finding low levels of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, in some samples.

“CVS Pharmacy is cooperating with Johnson & Johnson’s voluntary recall of certain Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreen products,” Joe Goode, a CVS spokesman, said in an emailed statement to The New York Post.

The statement continued: “Out of an abundance of caution, we’ve also halted the sale of two products – CVS Health After Sun Aloe Vera and CVS Health After Sun Aloe Vera Spray and are working with our supplier to take appropriate additional steps.”

“We remain committed to ensuring the products we offer are safe, work as intended, comply with regulations and satisfy customers,” added Mr Goode.

The recalled Johnson & Johnson products, as well as the CVS products, were referenced in a report by Valisure, an independent testing lab in Connecticut, for having detectable levels of benzene in at least some batches. The lab also filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration asking for the products to be recalled.

J&J’s recall covers the Aveeno Protect + Refresh aerosol sunscreen, and four Neutrogena sunscreens: Beach Defense aerosol sunscreen, CoolDry Sport aerosol sunscreen, Invisible Daily Defense aerosol sunscreen and UltraSheer aerosol sunscreen. The company said it had notified the FDA of the recall.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, benzene can cause leukaemia and other cancers after long-term exposure to high levels. J&J say the chemical is not an ingredient in the products and are investigating how it has come to be found there.

A statement from the pharmaceutical giant said: “Daily exposure to benzene in these aerosol sunscreen products at the levels detected in our testing would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences.”