Major panty liner brand contained cancer-causing agent; users struck by disease: suit

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A major brand of panty liners has been accused of exposing hundreds of women to a cancer-causing chemical — with users claiming they suffered devastating health problems ranging from yeast infections to liver disease, a new lawsuit claims.

Carefree, a feminine hygiene brand once owned by Johnson & Johnson and now owned by Essity, allegedly contained PFOA, a known carcinogen, according to the suit, filed in LA County Superior Court.

PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, is a synthetic “forever chemical” belonging to a group of substances known as PFAS, which can persist in the environment and human body for years.

Research has linked PFOA exposure to an increased risk of certain cancers, particularly kidney and testicular cancer, as well as to other serious health problems.

The plaintiffs claim they regularly wore Carefree panty liners in their underwear, leaving the products in “sustained contact” with “vulvar and perineal tissue.”

“The tissue is vascular, and permeable, and what it absorbs enters the bloodstream directly,” the suit states.

Some women wore the liners for 10 hours or more at a time, with the lawsuit claiming they were exposed to the chemical hundreds or even thousands of times over years of regular use.

The women in the suit claim they suffered a litany of health problems, including breast, ovarian and kidney cancer; thyroid disease; chronic inflammation; infections; high cholesterol and immune disorders.

Others allegedly suffered reduced fertility or infertility, while the lawsuit 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 papers state.

The lawsuit accuses the manufacturers of deliberately concealing the alleged contamination, despite having access to inexpensive testing that could have detected the chemical and the ability to manufacture PFAS-free alternatives.

None of the companies named in the suit disclosed the alleged presence of PFOA in the panty liners, according to the complaint.

“It appeared on no label, ingredient list or package, and in no advertisement or communication to consumers,” the papers say.

The manufacturers allegedly received notice on Feb. 6, 2024, that PFOA had been found in Carefree liners but continued selling the products, including after California restrictions on intentionally added PFAS in certain textiles took effect.

“They kept selling in California after January 1, 2025, in the face of a statutory ban,” the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit also names Gelson’s, the upscale Los Angeles-based grocery chain, as a defendant for allegedly selling the products.

The hundreds of women are seeking punitive damages at trial in an amount “sufficient to punish the manufacturer defendants,” according to the complaint.

Johnson & Johnson, Essity and Gelson’s were contacted for comment.

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