The generic version of the popular cold and allergy medicine Mucinex which is sold as an in-store brand at CVS, Walmart, Target and Walgreens contains the cancer-causing chemical benzene, according to a report.
Benzene, a colorless, flammable liquid that has been used to make plastics, synthetic fibers, household cleaners, gasoline and rubber, has been linked to diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma.
The brand-name version of Mucinex, which is sold by British pharmaceutical giant Reckitt Benckiser Group, uses a white powder called carbomer, which creates the extended-release effect that helps ease symptoms over a 12-hour period, as an inactive ingredient that does not contain benzene.
But an analysis by Bloomberg News found that the carbomer used to make the generic versions sold by the large retail pharmacies in the US does indeed contain benzene.
All of the four major chains source the medicine from Amneal Pharmaceuticals, a New Jersey-based company, according to Bloomberg News.
The Post has sought comment from Amneal Pharmaceuticals.
“Our store brand products are developed to be safe and high-quality, work as intended, comply with regulations, and satisfy customers,” a CVS spokesperson told The Post.
CVS said it requires that its suppliers “comply with all laws and regulations and are committed to following the FDA’s guidance.”
“When setting up any drug or cosmetic product, CVS store brand suppliers are required to certify that neither their raw material nor finished product contain benzene,” the CVS rep said.
The company spokesperson said that “we are working with the supplier to replace” carbomer found in its mucus relief medicine.
Bloomberg’s analysis also found carbomers containing benzene were used to make Walgreens’ version of the oral pain reliever Anbesol, Walmart’s Equate brand face moisturizer with sunscreen, and Rite Aid’s version of Bengay muscle rub.
The Food and Drug Administration last year sought to have pharmaceutical companies phase out the use of benzene by 2025, but industry protests led the agency to extend the deadline to 2026.
“The FDA is continuously working to ensure that all drugs meet the highest quality standards with the health and well-being of Americans top of mind,” Amanda Hils, a spokesperson for the agency, told Bloomberg News.
Earlier this year, a private New Haven, Conn.-based laboratory petitioned the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after it said it tested 66 different products, including acne creams such as Clearasil and face washes, and found “unacceptably high” levels of benzene.
In 2021, Johnson & Johnson announced it was recalling five of its Neutrogena and Aveeno spray sunscreens after the company found low levels of benzene in some of its samples.
Consumers responded by filing a class-action lawsuit.
The next year, Banana Boat announced it was recalling three batches of its hair and scalp sunscreen after tests found that the products contained trace amounts of benzene.
Weeks later, more than two dozen popular dry shampoo aerosol products sold by multinational giant Unilever were recalled due to “potentially elevated levels of benzene.”
Benzene has also been found in artificial colorings and sweeteners used to make popular snacks and cereals such as Lucky Charms, Froot Loops, Skittles, Nerds, M&M’s and Doritos.
The Post has sought comment from Walmart, Walgreens and Target.
