The Harvard Drug Group LLC, operating under the Rugby Laboratories brand, is accused of selling benzoyl peroxide-based acne treatments contaminated with benzene, a deadly carcinogen linked to leukemia and other cancers.

This case is emblematic of the darkest corners of corporate greed, where shareholder profits are prioritized over the safety and lives of the public.

The class-action lawsuit against The Harvard Drug Group LLC, filed by Moussa Kouyate and others in New York, alleges the company knowingly distributed adulterated products, misled consumers through false advertising, and failed to disclose the presence of benzene in its products.

Let’s break down what this case reveals about corporate ethics, product safety, and the broader impact on public health, consumer trust, and regulatory failure.


A Betrayal of Trust with Lethal Consequences

The presence of benzene in Rugby Laboratories’ Benzoyl Peroxide Wash was a calculated disregard for consumer safety. Benzene, a Class 1 solvent as classified by the FDA, is a known genotoxic carcinogen, meaning it damages DNA and leads to cancer. Benzene’s health risks have been documented for decades, with its ability to cause leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancers leaving little room for ambiguity.

By contaminating a product designed for teenagers and young adults—demographics already vulnerable to health inequities—Rugby Laboratories exacerbated risks for long-term suffering. The product was applied directly to the skin, increasing dermal absorption of benzene, compounding its toxic effects.

A Perfect Poison

Numerous studies have established that even trace amounts of benzene lead to devastating outcomes, such as:

  1. Acute Health Effects: Immediate exposure can cause dizziness, headaches, confusion, and nausea. In high concentrations, benzene exposure damages bone marrow, causing anemia and compromising immune system health.
  2. Chronic Exposure: Over time, cumulative exposure results in leukemia and other blood disorders. The Harvard Drug Group failed to issue recalls or even warnings, allowing unsuspecting customers to repeatedly use contaminated products, compounding the cumulative risk.

Disproportionate Harm to Marginalized Communities

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, like Moussa Kouyate, often represent working-class or marginalized communities.

These individuals may already face systemic barriers to healthcare, amplifying their vulnerability to corporate negligence.

A $15 acne treatment purchase may seem small, but to many families, this represents a meaningful investment in skincare—a trust that Harvard Drug Group shattered. The costs borne by these communities, from medical treatments to emotional toll, cannot be overstated.

The Silent Drain on Families and Healthcare Systems

Individual Financial Burden

For consumers like Kouyate, the presence of benzene in an over-the-counter medication is financially devastating. Each purchase was premised on the belief that the product was safe. Instead, individuals were unwittingly buying a “ticking time bomb” that could result in lifelong medical expenses. Treating leukemia or other benzene-related illnesses can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Who pays this price? Families already struggling to make ends meet.

Wider Strain on Healthcare Systems

From an economic perspective, benzene contamination creates a cascade of expenses:

  1. Medical Diagnoses and Treatments: Patients exposed to benzene may require frequent blood tests, biopsies, chemotherapy, or even bone marrow transplants—a financial burden that ripples through insurance frameworks.
  2. Lost Productivity: Survivors of benzene-related illnesses often face reduced work capacity, leading to long-term economic insecurity for their families.
  3. Legal Costs: This lawsuit alone will siphon resources from courts and legal teams, expenditures that could have been avoided if Harvard Drug Group had committed to ethical practices.

Even the cost of independent laboratory testing by individuals like Kouyate reveals an inequity: consumers must invest more resources simply to prove they were harmed, adding insult to injury.


Profit-Over-Safety Culture

Willful Misrepresentation

Rugby Laboratories’ labeling omitted any mention of benzene, misleading consumers into believing the product was safe. This is not just unethical—it’s fraud. Misbranding and failing to disclose material facts about benzene contamination violate both New York state laws and federal regulations meant to protect consumers.

Harvard Drug Group is not an uninformed player. As the complaint details, scientific literature has long warned about benzene degradation in benzoyl peroxide products when exposed to heat. This makes Harvard Drug Group’s actions not just negligent, but possibly malicious.

Negligence in Testing and Recalls

The failure to conduct rigorous testing or recall products after contamination was discovered shows a systemic decision to prioritize savings over lives. Adequate reformulation methods exist to prevent benzene formation, yet Harvard Drug Group opted for inaction, likely weighing potential profits against lawsuit payouts.

Hollow Corporate Accountability

When corporations like Harvard Drug Group harm the public, settlements and fines often function as mere “costs of doing business.” Without criminal charges or systemic reform, these corporations perpetuate cycles of misconduct. Harvard Drug Group’s silence in the face of litigation speaks volumes: it hides behind legal teams rather than addressing its violations head-on.


Corporate Pollution by Proxy

Benzene’s dangers extend beyond consumer health.

As benzene-laden products are manufactured, distributed, and discarded, environmental damage accumulates. Manufacturing processes that introduce benzene into consumer products often contaminate water supplies, soil, and air.

Communities near pharmaceutical production hubs often face benzene exposure as a byproduct of corporate irresponsibility. These communities, often already disadvantaged, bear the brunt of environmental degradation caused by profit-hungry corporations like Harvard Drug Group.


Social Trust: Erosion in the Consumer-Pharmaceutical Relationship

Broken Trust in Healthcare Products

When consumers purchase acne medication, they do so with the implicit trust that the product is regulated and safe. This betrayal goes beyond financial damages—it undermines public faith in pharmaceutical standards altogether. If benzene contamination can go unchecked in something as seemingly benign as acne wash, what does it say about the safety of other over-the-counter drugs?

Implications for Ethical Businesses

The ripple effects extend to ethical pharmaceutical companies that abide by regulations. Consumer mistrust, once breached, harms competitors and disrupts fair-market dynamics. Harvard Drug Group’s actions set back progress in building a reliable, transparent healthcare system.


Fighting Corporate Greed

While Harvard Drug Group undoubtedly wields significant resources to prolong the litigation or settle out of court, class action lawsuits like the one referenced for this article (linked down below) empower individuals harmed by corporate misconduct to collectively voice our displeasure.

Demanding Restitution

Victims of Harvard Drug Group’s negligence deserve more than monetary compensation.

They deserve acknowledgment of harm, medical monitoring, and systemic reform to prevent future contamination. The class action should demand:

  1. Full Refunds: Not just for the defective product but for every benzoyl peroxide product sold by the company.
  2. Healthcare Coverage: Comprehensive medical treatment for individuals diagnosed with benzene-related illnesses.
  3. Transparency Mandates: Implementation of clear labeling requirements and independent chemical testing for all future products.

Potential Ripple Effects

If successful, this lawsuit could influence industry-wide changes, incentivizing other corporations to adopt stricter testing protocols and prioritize consumer safety. However, history shows us that companies often resist change, particularly when profits are at stake.


The Dire Need for Corporate Accountability

The Harvard Drug Group LLC’s reckless indifference to consumer health reveals the moral bankruptcy of unchecked capitalism. This case is not merely about benzoyl peroxide wash; it is about a system where profits are prioritized over lives, where corporate ethics are a facade, and where regulatory frameworks fail to protect the most vulnerable.

If we, as a society, fail to hold Harvard Drug Group accountable, we embolden other corporations to pursue the same destructive path. Consumers must demand justice not only in courts but through grassroots organizing, media campaigns, and policy reform. Healing the wounds of this betrayal requires more than monetary settlements—it demands a wholesale re-examination of corporate power, regulation, and accountability.

I hope this article helps serve as a rallying cry for systemic change.

Until corporations like Harvard Drug Group face real consequences for jeopardizing public health, the cycle of harm and exploitation will continue unabated.


More corporations who sold us dangerous products can be found here: https://evilcorporations.org/category/product-safety-violations/