Latest news with #Proactiv
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Wegovy Recalled as FDA Warns Weight Loss Product 'Inappropriately Released'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy is the subject of a limited voluntary recall after regulators warned that certain doses were "inappropriately released" following a shipping error. Why It Matters Wegovy has become a leading pharmaceutical option in the growing weight-loss drug market, prescribed widely to help individuals with obesity or weight-related medical problems. Wegovy has seen a significant rise in usage across the United States. A May 2024 Pharmaphorum report noted the drug was getting around 130,000 weekly prescriptions in the U.S., with more than 25,000 people starting on it per week. A 2024 survey indicated that about one in eight U.S. adults have taken GLP-1 class medications like Wegovy and Ozempic for weight loss and related conditions. Wegovy is produced by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Wegovy is produced by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images What To Know Cardinal Health, the distributor responsible for the affected batch, initiated the recall earlier this month, according to federal data. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified the recall as a Class II event, indicating that the product could cause temporary or medically reversible health issues, or that the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. The recalled lot, PZFDE06, was set to expire on August 31, 2025, and involved 48 cartons distributed in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Specifically, the 2.4 mg/0.75 mL dose in 4-single-dose prefilled pens was affected, according to the release. According to a post on the FDA website, the product was potentially exposed to temperatures outside of the products labeled storage conditions due to a shipping error involving a Cardinal Health distribution center. It specified that the product was removed from refrigerated storage for an extended period of time and "inappropriately released." Proper storage conditions are critical to maintaining the safety effectiveness of semaglutide, Wegovy's active ingredient. Exposure to temperatures outside recommended limits can degrade the drug, potentially reducing its efficacy, according to experts. Newsweek contacted the recalling firm for comment via email on Tuesday. What People Are Saying Alex Miras, professor of endocrinology at Ulster University in Northern Ireland, told Newsweek: "This is a peptide hormone, so its effectiveness may be reduced at higher temperatures." What Happens Next At the time of writing, the recall was listed on the FDA's website as ongoing. Separately, Newsweek reported earlier in April that two Proactiv acne treatment products were voluntarily recalled across the U.S. after tests revealed the presence of benzene, a known human carcinogen. The recall, initiated by Alchemee LLC, affected over 41,000 units of Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief and Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
La Roche-Posay, Proactiv, Walgreens skin care products voluntarily recalled over potentially cancer-causing chemical
Acne creams from retailers including Walgreens, La Roche-Posay and Proactiv have been voluntarily recalled due to elevated levels of a potentially cancer-causing agent. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a recall notice Tuesday for several lots of six products, including Walgreens Acne Control Cleanser, Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator, SLMD Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Lotion and La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment. The FDA said the products are being recalled for "possible benzene contamination." Benzene is a chemical used often to make a range of products in the U.S. including detergents, dyes and drugs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene in the air can cause leukemia, or cancer of the blood-forming organs, according to the CDC. Unilever recalls popular hair care products due to concerns of potentially 'elevated levels' of cancer-causing chemical In its recall notice, the FDA stressed that the skin care products being voluntarily recalled carry a "very low" risk of causing cancer. "Even with daily use of these products for decades, the risk of a person developing cancer because of exposure to benzene found in these products is very low," the notice stated. The FDA's recall is also only at the retail level, meaning the agency is asking retailers to remove the recalled products from store shelves and online marketplaces. Consumers who may have purchased the recalled products are not being instructed to take any action, according to the FDA. The recalled products have expiration dates ranging from April 2025 to March 2026. The full list of recalled products and lot numbers can be found here. A spokesperson for La Roche-Posay told ABC News in a statement the company is removing the impacted units of its Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment from retailers. "At La Roche-Posay, product safety is our highest priority. While our Effaclar Duo Acne Spot Treatment has a long-standing history of safe and effective use, recent testing revealed minimal traces of benzene in one lot of the product. Although these trace levels do not pose a safety risk, we are committed to upholding the highest quality standards," the spokesperson said. "Therefore, in close coordination with the FDA, we have proactively decided to remove the limited remaining units of the current formula of Effaclar Duo from retailers. This decision also enables a seamless transition to our new and improved Effaclar Duo formula, which has been in development since 2024 and will be available to consumers soon." A spokesperson for Alchemee LLC, the maker of Proactiv, also said it is complying with the recall and is offering customers a refund or replacement. "Alchemee, LLC, the maker of Proactiv products, is initiating a voluntary recall of two (2) lots of Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief and one (1) lot of Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator. These three lots are being voluntarily recalled after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") provided information to Alchemee regarding test results for benzene content of samples in these lots," the spokesperson said in a statement. "For those who purchased these products directly from customers can contact Proactiv Customer Care to return the product for a refund or replacement. For purchases made from other sites or retail stores, please contact the site or store you purchased from for assistance with product returns and refunds or replacements." Drunk Elephant voluntarily recalls 3 products over ingredient mix-up Walgreens said it is also complying with the recall, telling ABC News in a statement, 'Our suppliers, working in conjunction with the FDA, initiated two voluntary recalls, impacting a limited number of units. This was done out of an abundance of caution and the safety of our customers remains our top priority.' SLMD did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. La Roche-Posay, Proactiv, Walgreens skin care products voluntarily recalled over potentially cancer-causing chemical originally appeared on
