Users of a major panty liner brand state they have suffered health problems that include yeast infections and liver disease. A new lawsuit claims a chemical in the feminine hygiene product caused these problems.
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What Panty Liner Brand Is Mentioned in the Lawsuit?
The New York Post reports that a lawsuit alleges Carefree contained PFOA, a known carcinogen. Johnson & Johnson once owned the brand, and Essity now owns it.
PFOA is also known as perfluorooctanoic acid. The synthetic is part of a group of materials known as PFAS, which can persist in the environment and the human body for years.
Research says PFOA exposure has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, including kidney and testicular cancer, and other serious health issues.
The suit's plaintiffs state that wearing the Carefree liners regularly allowed for "sustained contact" with "vulvar and perineal tissue."
"The tissue is vascular and permeable, and what it absorbs enters the bloodstream directly," it adds.
The Suit Claims Users Suffered Severe Health Issues
The suit claims that regular use of Carefree panty liners exposed users to the chemical hundreds or even thousands of times. As a result, it says they developed numerous health problems, including breast, ovarian and kidney cancer, thyroid disease, chronic inflammation, infections, high cholesterol, and immune disorders.
Others allege the feminine hygiene product led to reduced fertility or infertility. The suit claims the women now live in fear of developing cancer because of their alleged exposure.
"Each plaintiff suffered physical, mental, and emotional pain and suffering, anxiety over her diagnosis and treatment, and loss of enjoyment of life," the suit says.
Manufacturers of the Carefree liners are also accused of hiding the alleged contamination. The suit says that the company also had access to inexpensive testing that could have detected PFOA and could have created an alternative.
The complaint says none of the companies named disclosed the use of PFOA in the product.
"It appeared on no label, ingredient list or package, and in no advertisement or communication to consumers," it reads.
The manufacturers of the Carefree panty liners allegedly received notice in early 2024 that PFOA had been found. Even so, they kept selling the product. This came after California restricted intentionally added PFAS in certain textiles.
The complaint also names Los Angeles-based grocery chain Gelson's as a defendant.
The lawsuit says hundreds of women are seeking punitive damages at trial that are "sufficient to punish the manufacturer defendants."
