When Laura Albrigo purchased Harris Pharmaceutical’s Benzoyl Peroxide 10% Acne Wash, she trusted it would be safe for her skin. Yet, recent independent testing uncovered an alarming truth: this popular acne treatment may expose users to benzene, a potent carcinogen.
A new class action lawsuit against Harris Pharmaceutical now raises serious questions about corporate accountability and transparency in the skincare industry, shedding light on how corporate silence can endanger public health.
Harris Pharmaceutical’s Benzene Contamination
According to the lawsuit, Harris Pharmaceutical’s BPO acne treatments—including its 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Wash—either contain benzene or degrade into it under normal storage conditions. Benzene exposure, known to heighten risks of leukemia and other blood disorders, is strictly regulated at a maximum of 2 parts per million (ppm) in pharmaceuticals.
However, independent testing by Valisure LLC, a consumer safety watchdog, reportedly found benzene levels exceeding 400 ppm in Harris’s products—an astonishing 200 times above the regulatory limit. This blatant disregard for safety thresholds calls into question Harris’s commitment to corporate accountability and consumer protection.
The Importance of Transparency in Public Health and Corporate Responsibility
Harris Pharmaceutical markets itself as a trustworthy pharmaceutical provider, with products manufactured to meet FDA standards.
Yet, the absence of benzene labeling or disclosure on these acne treatments suggests a disturbing lack of transparency. The failure to inform consumers of potential risks is not merely a compliance issue but a profound breach of corporate responsibility. By omitting critical health information, Harris denied consumers the right to make informed decisions about products they applied to their skin daily.
This lack of transparency is especially troubling given the scientific evidence regarding benzoyl peroxide’s instability and potential to degrade into benzene.
Such omissions reflect a prioritization of profit over public safety—a dangerous gamble with consumer health that corporate accountability should unequivocally condemn.
Who Bears the Risk of Benzene Exposure?
The consequences of benzene contamination extend far beyond a single product. Benzene, classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by both the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, carries no known safe exposure level.
Potential long-term health effects include an elevated risk of cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. For Harris Pharmaceutical, whose acne products are widely used by adolescents—a population particularly vulnerable to toxic exposures—the risks are compounded.
The lawsuit against Harris serves as a reminder of corporate accountability’s role in protecting vulnerable consumers from unnecessary harm. When pharmaceutical companies disregard safety standards, communities—especially those with higher health risks—suffer the consequences.
The Trend of Harmful Contaminants in Everyday Products
This lawsuit also highlights a troubling trend within industries where harmful contaminants are often revealed only through independent testing or legal intervention. Similar contamination issues have recently emerged, from benzene in aerosol sunscreens and antiperspirants to toxic chemicals in other personal care products. Each case underscores the inadequacy of regulatory oversight alone and the urgent need for corporations to take a proactive stance on consumer safety.
The recurring appearance of benzene contamination illustrates the systemic failure of corporate accountability across multiple industries. Without stronger safety commitments, companies leave consumers to face hidden dangers that should have been caught and addressed during manufacturing.
Strengthening Corporate Accountability to Protect Consumer Health
The Harris Pharmaceutical case exposes the critical need for corporate accountability and transparency in health-related products.
When companies fail to inform and protect consumers, they place profit above public well-being, endangering the very individuals they claim to serve.
This case is a call to action: corporations in the skincare and pharmaceutical industries must adopt stronger safety standards, disclose all potential health risks, and commit to consumer safety as a priority, not an afterthought.
But truth be told, it’ll probably just get worse from here on out as now-President Donald Trump promises to gut regulatory agencies.
Harris Pharmaceutical’s website used to be https://www.harrispharmaceutical.org/ , but they have since gone offline.