US pharmaceuticals company Insight Pharmaceuticals has voluntarily recalled two batches of its antifungal spray for athletes over concerns that they contained a carcinogenic substance. The product was distributed to "limited retailers" nationwide and sold online throughout the US.
The issue, however is not the medication itself, but the propellant that sprays the product out of the can, which was found to contain benzene, a cancer-causing chemical.
The product in question is the company’s TING 2% Miconazole Nitrate Athlete's Foot Spray Antifungal Spray Powder. Affected items include the National Drug Code (NDC) 63736-532-05 on the label. The recall affects sprays packaged in 4.5oz spray bottles with the lot code 0H88645 and expiration date 07/24, as well as the lot code 0B88345 and expiration date 02/24. Details are printed on the bottom of the can.
Insight Pharmaceuticals says it initiated the recall after a recent review conducted by its manufacturer and a third-party lab detected benzene.
"While benzene is not an ingredient in any Ting Antifungal Spray products,” assured the company, “the review showed that unexpected levels of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can.”
Benzene is fairly common in everyday life and a natural constituent of petroleum, but is also a well-know carcinogen, about which the American Petroleum Institute (API) once said, “the only absolutely safe concentration for benzene is zero”.
Insight Pharmaceuticals says any customers who purchased the affected items should stop using them immediately and take a picture of the product's lot code. Customers can then send the image to Insight Pharmaceuticals for a full refund.
- Best footcare for runners: 8 tips to keep your feet in top condition
