Pantyliner Makers Being Sued Over Alleged Presence of Cancer-Linked Substance

Pantyliners are a smaller, thinner version of a regular pad, and some women even use them every day to absorb vaginal discharge, unexpected light period flow, and more. There are many well-known pantyliners out there, but users of Carefree pantyliners will want to take note after it was reported that its parent company in the US, Edgewell Personal Care Co., failed to appropriately warn customers about the presence of “forever chemicals” in its products.

As reported by Bloomberg Law, a lawsuit was filed in the Los Angeles state court by advocacy group Ecological Alliance LLC. They brought the suit under California’s Proposition 65, which gives Californians the right to be informed of the presence of any harmful chemicals or carcinogens that could be present in products.

Also known as ‘toxic forever chemicals,’ they accumulate in the body and are connected to cancer and reproductive harm. The liners specifically contain perfluorooctanoic acid, which is in the PFAS class. The chemical’s presence in the liners poses a particular risk to women because vaginal tissue can absorb contaminants directly into the bloodstream, especially after they are worn for 8-10 hours each day.

According to the suit, exposure to the chemical may also lead to reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women and increased risks of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.

It is uncertain if the materials used to make Carefree products in Malaysia are the same as those used to make the products in the US.

X user @tattyhassan also posted a clip from Fox News on the matter:

Siapa pakai pantyliner carefree, be careful! pic.twitter.com/shnGHHnTbD
— Tatty H. (@tattyhassan) October 6, 2024

Featured Image Credit: Canva, National Cancer Institute on Unsplash