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| TO BUSINESS, MEDICAL, AND NATIONAL EDITORS
Major Cosmetic and Toiletry Ingredient Poses Avoidable Cancer Risks, warns Professor of Environmental Medicine at University of Illinois, School of Public Medicine
CHICAGO, Feb 22,1998 /PRNewswire/ -- The following was released today by Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., Professor Environmental Science. University of Illinois School of Public Health.
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| As reported on CBS Morning News Today, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) recently found that repeated skin application to mouse skin of diethanolamine (DEA), or its fatty acid derivative Cocoaminde-DEA, induced liver and kidney cancer. Besides this "clear evidence of carcinogenicity," NTP also emphasized that DEA is readily absorbed through the skin and accumulates in organs, such as the brain, where it induces chronic toxic effects. |
| High concentrations of DEA-based detergents are commonly used in a wide range of cosmetics and toiletries, including shampoos, hair dyes and conditioners, lotions, creams and bubble baths, besides liquid dishwashing and laundry soaps. Lifelong use of these products thus clearly poses avoidable cancer risks tot he great majority of U.S. consumers, particularly infants and young children. |
| Further increasing these cancer risks is long-standing evidence that DEA readily interacts with nitrite preservatives or contaminants in cosmetics or toiletries to form nitrosodiethanolamine (NDELA), another carcinogen as well recognized by Federal agencies and institutions at the World Health Organization, which, like DEA, is also rapidly absorbed through the skin. In 1979, the FDA warned that over 40% of all cosmetic products were contaminated with NDELA and called for the industry "to take immediate action to eliminate this carcinogen from cosmetic products." In two 1991 surveys, 27 out of 29 products were found to be contaminated with high concentrations of this carcinogen, results which were subsequently confirmed by the FDA. Based on this information, the European Union and European industry have both taken strong action to reduce or eliminate DEA and NDELA from cosmetics and toiletries. In sharp contrast, the FDA has taken no such action, nor has it responded to a 1996 petition from the Cancer Prevention Coalition to phase out the use of DEA or to label DEA-containing products with an explicit cancer warning. The mainstream U.S. industry has been similarly unresponsive, even to the extent of ignoring the explicit warning by the Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrance Association to discontinue the uses of DEA. Such reckless intransigence is in strong contrast with the responsiveness of the growing safe cosmetic industry. |
| Tom Mower, CEO of Neways Inc., a major distributor of carcinogen free cosmetics, emphasizes: "I see no reason at all to use DEA, as there are safe and cost-effective alternatives which we have been using is a wide range of our cosmetics and toiletries for the last decade."
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| Faced with escalating cancer rates, now striking more than one in three Americans, the FDA should take immediate action to prevent further exposure to the avoidable carcinogens DEA and NDELA in cosmetics, toiletries and liquid soaps. Safe and effective alternatives to DEA are readily available.
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SOURCE Cancer Prevention Coalition
CONTACT: Samuel S. Epstein, M.D., Professor of Environmental Medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago, School of Public Health and Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition, (312)996-2297 |
| "Cosmetics Proposal Draws Fire"
- Washington--A proposal to preempt state regulation of cosmetics is emerging as a major sticking point in a long-delayed effort to revamp the Food and Drug Administration. |
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Below is a quote by Dr. Sam Epstein, author of
"The Safe Shopper's Bible" and Chairperson of The Cancer Prevention Coalition.
"Not
a single cosmetic company warns consumers of the presence of carcinogens in its
products - despite the fact that several common cosmetic ingredients or their
contaminants are carcinogenic themselves or are carcinogenic precursors."
"Consumers have an inalienable right to know what
ingredients are in products they use daily, and to be certain that chemicals
posing chronic health risks will be phased out when alternatives are available.
These are rights regardless of one's perception of the risk of the ingredient.
Yet walk down the aisle of any supermarket and you will quickly see how minimal
regulation has led to grossly inadequate labeling."
"Neways has pioneered and succeeded in providing consumers with cosmetics and toiletries free of cancer causing and harmful ingredients, and contaminants. I warmly congratulate them on their accomplishments."
To view Neways products visit here: |
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