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Study Finds Cancer-Causing Chemical in Nearly 100 Shampoos and Soaps

Laura Beans
Aug. 29, 2013 12:20PM EST Health + Wellness

The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) revealed independent testing on Tuesday finding a cancer-causing chemical in 98 shampoos, soaps and other personal care products sold by major national retailers. The chemical, cocamide diethanolamine (cocamide DEA), a chemically-modified form of coconut oil used as a thickener or foaming agent in many products, was listed by California as a known carcinogen last year.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Products tested with high levels of cocamide DEA include shampoos made by Colgate Palmolive, Colomer, Paul Mitchell and many others. In addition, products marketed for children and a product falsely labeled as organic were found with the chemical, in violation of California law.

CEH filed a California lawsuit Tuesday against four companies that sell products containing cocamide DEA, and the nonprofit has sent legal notices to more than 100 other companies that produce and/or sell cocamide DEA-tainted products that their products violate state law.

“Most people believe that products sold in major stores are tested for safety, but consumers need to know that they could be doused with a cancer-causing chemical every time they shower or shampoo,” said Michael Green, executive director of CEH. “We expect companies to take swift action to end this unnecessary risk to our children’s and families’ health.”

In addition to many brand name shampoos and personal care products (see the full list, below), the CEH testing found cocamide DEA in store-brand products purchased at Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Pharmaca and Kohl’s. A store brand children’s bubble bath from Kmart and a children’s shampoo/conditioner from Babies R Us were also found with cocamide DEA. Falsely labeled organic products from Organic by Africa’s Best also tested for high levels of the cancer-causing chemical (CEH previously won a legal settlement with this company requiring it to end its use of phony organic labels).

CEH has purchased the shampoos and other products containing cocamide DEA at Bay Area, CA, locations of major retailers and from online retailers since June, and commissioned an independent lab to determine the total content of the chemical in the products. In many cases, products contain more than 10,000 ppm cocamide DEA, and one shampoo tested at more than 200,000 ppm (20 percent) cocamide DEA. California listed cocamide DEA in June 2012 as a chemical known to cause cancer based on the assessment by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which evaluated skin exposure tests on animals.  

PRODUCT

BRAND NAME

COMPANY

RETAILER

Classic clean shampoo (for all hair types)

Prell

Ultimark Products

Walgreens

Medicated Conditioning Shampoo

MG217

Lake Consumer Products

Rite Aid

Daily Shampoo

American Crew Classic

American Crew

Kmart

Olive Oil Shampoo

Organics by Africa's Best

House of Cheatham

Glamour Beauty Supply

Caprice (Acti-Ceramidas Shampoo)

Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

FoodMaxx

Mane 'n Tail Shampoo

Straight Arrow

Straight Arrow Products

FoodMaxx

Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo

Ouidad

Ouidad Products

Sephora

TUI (moisturizing sulfate-free shampoo)

Carols Daughter

Carols Daughter Products

Sephora

Brilliance Shampoo

Rusk

Rusk

Kmart

Kid's Bubble Bath (Bubble Gum Scent)

Little Ones/Kmart

Kmart

Kmart

Clasic Herbal Essence Shampoo (all hair types)

Vanart

Made by Estilo Y Vanidad, Distributed by Midway Importing

Kmart

Therapeutic Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

TopCare

Topco Associates, LLC

Lucky

Cleanse Hydrating Shampoo

BIOSILK

Farouk Systems

Lucky

Maximum Strength Medicated Dandruff Shampoo

Equate

Walmart

Walmart

Awapuhi Ginger Shampoo

Organix

Vogue International

Walgreens

"Ricitos de Oro" Chamomile Baby Shampoo

Grisi

 unknown

Walgreens

Cabellino Shampoo Chile Con Romero

Grandall

Grandall Dist. Co

Kmart

Dandruff Shampoo Selenium Sulfide

Image Essentials

Kmart

Kmart

Nutress Hair Protein Pack Treatment Shampoo

nutresshair

Gabel’s Cosmetics, Inc.

Glamour Beauty Supply

Treatment Curly Hair Moisturizing Shampoo Keratin and Cupuacu Butter

nuNAAT

nuNAAT

Glamour Beauty Supply

Luxury Care 3 Plus Frizz Control Shampoo

Luxury Care

Inspired Beauty Brands, Inc.

Glamour Beauty Supply

Anti Breakage Neutralizing Shampoo Gel

Mega Growth

Strength Of Nature

Glamour Beauty Supply

Tea Tree Special Shampoo

Paul Mitchell

John Paul Mitchell Systems

Glamour Beauty Supply

Plant Extracts & Moroccan Argan oil Dry, Itchy Scalp Shampoo Controls Dandruff

At One With Nature

BioCare Lab

Glamour Beauty Supply

Gentle Cleansing & Conditioning Shampoo Aromatic Natural Essences pH balanced

Calm Cleanse

Johnson Products Co.

Glamour Beauty Supply

Hair Polisher Shampoo with "Sparkle Lites"

Fantasia

Fantasia Industries

Glamour Beauty Supply

African Essence Neutralizing Shampoo Plus Proteins and Conditioners

African Essence

Universal Beauty Products

Glamour Beauty Supply

VIA Natural Style Moisturizing Shampoo

VIA

Universal Beauty Products

Glamour Beauty Supply

Fair Trade Honey Shampoo

Lush

Lush

Lush

Sunflower & Coconut Detangling Conditioning Shampoo

Crème Of Nature

Colomer USA

Safeway

Medicated Shampoo Slednium Sulfide Dandruff Shampoo

up&up

Target

Target

Salon Shampoo (for Extra-Dry Hair)

Parnevu

Advantage Research Laboratories

Lynas Beauty Depot

Shea Butter Shampoo

Sofn'freen'pretty

M&M Products Company

Lynas Beauty Depot

Conditioning Shampoo

Luster's Pink Brand

Luster Products, Inc.

Lynas Beauty Depot

Coconut Oil Formula Conditioning Shampoo

Palmer's

E.T. Browne Drug Co.

Lynas Beauty Depot

Neutralizing Shampoo (With DL Panthenol)

Vitale

AFAM Concept

Lynas Beauty Depot

Extra Moisturizing Hand Wash

Dermasil/Rise International Group LLC

Rise International Group

99 Cent Only Stores

Moisturizing Shampoo with Panthenol (Placenta & Vitamin E)

La Bella

Newhall Laboratories, Inc.

99 Cent Only Stores

Despicable Me Hand Wash (tickled pink rose bonbon)

Delon Laboratories

Delon Laboratories

99 Cent Only Stores

Tingling Gro Shampoo with Flaking Control

Doo Gro

Nature's Protein

Sally Beauty Company

KeraCare  Anti-Dandruff Moisturizing Shampoo

KeraCare

Avlon Industries, Inc.

Macy's

Dandruff Moisturizing Shampoo

Folicure

Alberto Culver USA

Sally Beauty Company

Mixed Berry Anti-Bacterial Foaming Hand Soap

Simple Pleasures

Tri-Coastal Design

Kohl's

Vanilla Rose Bubble Bath

Simple Pleasures

Paula Scaletta Licensed to Tri-Coastal Design

Kohl's

berry burst shower gel

scentsations by bodysource

Made Especially for Kohl's Department Store

Kohl's

Lemon Handwash  Gift Set

Brompton and Langley

Upper Canada Soap

Sears

French Lavender Hand and Body Wash Gift Set

Amelie's Garden

Upper Canada Soap

Sears

Moroccanoil Extra Volume Shampoo

Moroccanoil

Moroccanoil

Blooming Beauty

Julius Caesar Redreshing Citrus Scent Concentrated Shower Gel

Zirch Warrior Collection

TPR Holdings LLC

Marshalls

I love Vanilla & Ice Cream Bubble Bath and Shower Gel

I love…

I love cosmetics limited

Ross

Coconut Lime Handsoap

Pure Passion

Biolab International Inc.

Ross

Lalaloopsy Cotton Candy Bubble Bath

Lalaloopsy

Added Extras

Ross

Super Minty Soapy Suds Body wash + Bubbling Bath

Bliss

Bliss

Ross

Olive & Shea Mositurizing Shower Wash Vanilla Spice

Tree Hut

Naterra International

Ross

Organic Cleanse Deep Cleansing Shampoo with Oatmeal Protein

Design Essentials

McBride Research Laboratories

JC Penny

Moisturizing Shampoo for all hair types

Body Time

Body Time

Body Time

Lemon Kitchen Hand Soap

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's

All Natural moisturizing Shower Gel Yuzu

ShiKai

ShiKai Products

Andronico's

2 in1 Shampoo and Conditioner

Toys R Us

Toys R Us

Babies 'R' Us

Body Wash ylang ylang & ginger

Pharmaca

Pharmaca

Pharmaca

avocado oil moisturizing shower gel

Australian Organics

Kent Cosmetics

TJ Maxx

Lemon Balm White Musk Hand Wash

D&H Australia

Dickens  & Hawthorne Australia

TJ Maxx

Eucalyptus Aloe Hand Soap

CST

CST

TJ Maxx

Honey B Crème Handwash

Scottish Fine Soaps

Scottish Fine Soaps Company

TJ Maxx

Enriched wtith Argan oil Restorative Shampoo

Beauty Products Mgoador

Chic Cosmetic Ind.

TJ Maxx

White Nectarine & Pear Cleansing Hand Wash

Boutique

Grace Cole Co.

TJ Maxx

Lavender Conditioning Handwash

Brown & Harris England

HotHouse Partnerships LTD

TJ Maxx

English Rose Moisturizing Hand Wash

A & S

Asquith & Somerset

TJ Maxx

Best Face Forward Daily Foaming Cleanser Passionfruit + Green Tea

Formula 10.0.6

Aspire Brands

Ulta

Triple Action Bath, Shower, & Hair Wash Revitalizing Rosemary Mint

c. Booth simple. Natural. Trusted.

Freeman Beauty Labs/ pH Beauty Labs

Ulta

Advanced Volume Shampoo with Expansion Technology

Nick Chavez

Perfect Plus

Ulta

Bubble Bath Calm One with lemon balm

Calm All

The Soap & Glory Cosmetics

Sephora

Lemon Basil Shea Butter Hand Soap

Michel Design Works

Michel Design Works

Bristol Farms

Philip B. Peppermint & Avocado Volumizing and Clarifying Shampoo

Phillip B.

Phillip B Inc.

Bloomingdale's

Lemon Verbena Hand Wash Gel

Accessory Zone

Accessory Zone

Sears

Mango Body Wash

Boots

The Boots Company

Target

Citrus Blush Shower Gel

Champneys

Boots Retail

Target

White Tea and Ginger Neutralizing Shampoo

Ampro/Pro Styl/ Neutra Foam

Ampro Industries

Lucky

Lychee Flower Hand And Body Wash

Mor

Mor

Nordstrom Rack

Zinc Shampoo

DHS

Person & Covey Inc.

hairenvy.com

Bubble Bath Sweet Water

RRYSpa

RRYSpa

burlington coat factory

Skinny Girl Shower Gel Margarita

Skinny Girl

Lotta Luv

burlington coat factory

Peppermint Bubble Bath

Elegant Home Design

Elegant Home Design

burlington coat factory

Apothecary Lemon Verbana Bath and Shower Gel

Apothecary

International Design Associates

burlington coat factory

French Lavender Cleansing Hand Wash

Baylis & Harding England

Baylis & Harding PLC

burlington coat factory

American Crew Classic Daily Shampoo

American Crew

American Crew

Saks Fifth Avenue

Herb Hand Soap

Daiso

Daiso Industries

Daiso

Hair Plump Volumizing Shampoo

Big & Bold

Fisk Industries

Beauty Palace

Blondes Lemon flower Shampoo

ARTEC

ARTec Systems Group

Beauty Palace

Rejuvi Shower Cream

Rejuvi

Rejuvi Laboratory Inc.

Dermstore.com

The Revitalizer Body Wash (Cucumber + Grapefruit)

Portico

Portico Home + Spa

Dermstore.com

Colour Protecting Caviar Shampoo

Kelly Van Gogh

Kelly Van Gogh LLC

Dermstore.com

Walnut Body Scrub

Banzai Living Inc

Banzai Living Inc

Ichiban Kan

Clear Lemon & Mint Body Soap

Aroma Resort

PMAI

Ichiban Kan

Bath/Shower Gelee with Green Tea and Aloe

Dr. Michelle Copeland

Dr. Michelle Copeland Skin Care

Dermstore.com

Lavender Shower Gel with cucumber, arnica, and aloe vera

elizabeth W san francisco

E Wightnan & Co

Dermstore.com

Caring Hand Wash Fig & Pink Cedar

Nougat London

Nougat London

Tuesday Morning

Hydrating Shampoo

Moroccanoil

Moroccanoil

Regis Salon

 

 

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Guillain-Barre syndrome occurs when the body's own immune system attacks and injures the nerves outside of the spinal cord or brain – the peripheral nervous system. Niq Steele / Getty Images

By Sherry H-Y. Chou, Aarti Sarwal and Neha S. Dangayach

The patient in the case report (let's call him Tom) was 54 and in good health. For two days in May, he felt unwell and was too weak to get out of bed. When his family finally brought him to the hospital, doctors found that he had a fever and signs of a severe infection, or sepsis. He tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 infection. In addition to symptoms of COVID-19, he was also too weak to move his legs.

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We are neurologists specializing in intensive care and leading studies related to neurological complications from COVID-19. Given the occurrence of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in prior pandemics with other corona viruses like SARS and MERS, we are investigating a possible link between Guillain-Barre Syndrome and COVID-19 and tracking published reports to see if there is any link between Guillain-Barre Syndrome and COVID-19.

Some patients may not seek timely medical care for neurological symptoms like prolonged headache, vision loss and new muscle weakness due to fear of getting exposed to virus in the emergency setting. People need to know that medical facilities have taken full precautions to protect patients. Seeking timely medical evaluation for neurological symptoms can help treat many of these diseases.

What Is Guillain-Barre Syndrome?

Guillain-Barre syndrome occurs when the body's own immune system attacks and injures the nerves outside of the spinal cord or brain – the peripheral nervous system. Most commonly, the injury involves the protective sheath, or myelin, that wraps nerves and is essential to nerve function.

Without the myelin sheath, signals that go through a nerve are slowed or lost, which causes the nerve to malfunction.

To diagnose Guillain-Barre Syndrome, neurologists perform a detailed neurological exam. Due to the nerve injury, patients often may have loss of reflexes on examination. Doctors often need to perform a lumbar puncture, otherwise known as spinal tap, to sample spinal fluid and look for signs of inflammation and abnormal antibodies.

Studies have shown that giving patients an infusion of antibodies derived from donated blood or plasma exchange – a process that cleans patients' blood of harmful antibodies - can speed up recovery. A very small subset of patients may need these therapies long-term.

The majority of Guillain-Barre Syndrome patients improve within a few weeks and eventually can make a full recovery. However, some patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome have lingering symptoms including weakness and abnormal sensations in arms and/or legs; rarely patients may be bedridden or disabled long-term.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Pandemics

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe, many neurologic specialists have been on the lookout for potentially serious nervous system complications such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

Though Guillain-Barre Syndrome is rare, it is well known to emerge following bacterial infections, such as Campylobacter jejuni, a common cause of food poisoning, and a multitude of viral infections including the flu virus, Zika virus and other coronaviruses.

Studies showed an increase in Guillain-Barre Syndrome cases following the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, suggesting a possible connection. The presumed cause for this link is that the body's own immune response to fight the infection turns on itself and attacks the peripheral nerves. This is called an "autoimmune" condition. When a pandemic affects as many people as our current COVID-19 crisis, even a rare complication can become a significant public health problem. That is especially true for one that causes neurological dysfunction where the recovery takes a long time and may be incomplete.

The first reports of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in COVID-19 pandemic originated from Italy, Spain and China, where the pandemic surged before the U.S. crisis.

Though there is clear clinical suspicion that COVID-19 can lead to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, many important questions remain. What are the chances that someone gets Guillain-Barre Syndrome during or following a COVID-19 infection? Does Guillain-Barre Syndrome happen more often in those who have been infected with COVID-19 compared to other types of infections, such as the flu?

The only way to get answers is through a prospective study where doctors perform systematic surveillance and collect data on a large group of patients. There are ongoing large research consortia hard at work to figure out answers to these questions.

Understanding the Association Between COVID-19 and Guillain-Barre Syndrome

While large research studies are underway, overall it appears that Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare but serious phenomenon possibly linked to COVID-19. Given that more than 10.7 million cases have been reported for COVID-19, there have been 10 reported cases of COVID-19 patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome so far – only two reported cases in the U.S., five in Italy, two cases in Iran and one from Wuhan, China.

It is certainly possible that there are other cases that have not been reported. The Global Consortium Study of Neurological Dysfunctions in COVID-19 is actively underway to find out how often neurological problems like Guillain-Barre Syndrome is seen in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Also, just because Guillain-Barre Syndrome occurs in a patient diagnosed with COVID-19, that does not imply that it was caused by the virus; this still may be a coincident occurrence. More research is needed to understand how the two events are related.

Due to the pandemic and infection-containment considerations, diagnostic tests, such as a nerve conduction study that used to be routine for patients with suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome, are more difficult to do. In both U.S. cases, the initial diagnosis and treatment were all based on clinical examination by a neurological experts rather than any tests. Both patients survived but with significant residual weakness at the time these case reports came out, but that is not uncommon for Guillain-Barre Syndrome patients. The road to recovery may sometimes be long, but many patients can make a full recovery with time.

Though the reported cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome so far all have severe symptoms, this is not uncommon in a pandemic situation where the less sick patients may stay home and not present for medical care for fear of being exposed to the virus. This, plus the limited COVID-19 testing capability across the U.S., may skew our current detection of Guillain-Barre Syndrome cases toward the sicker patients who have to go to a hospital. In general, the majority of Guillain-Barre Syndrome patients do recover, given enough time. We do not yet know whether this is true for COVID-19-related cases at this stage of the pandemic. We and colleagues around the world are working around the clock to find answers to these critical questions.

Sherry H-Y. Chou is an Associate Professor of Critical Care Medicine, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh.

Aarti Sarwal is an Associate Professor, Neurology, Wake Forest University.

Neha S. Dangayach is an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Disclosure statement: Sherry H-Y. Chou receives funding from The University of Pittsburgh Clinical Translational Science Institute (CTSI), the National Institute of Health, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Dean's Faculty Advancement Award. Sherry H-Y. Chou is a member of Board of Directors for the Neurocritical Care Society. Neha S. Dangayach receives funding from the Bee Foundation, the Friedman Brain Institute, the Neurocritical Care Society, InCHIP-UConn Center for mHealth and Social Media Seed Grant. She is faculty for emcrit.org and for AiSinai. Aarti Sarwal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Reposted with permission from The Conversation.


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Unity Task Forces formed by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders unveiled sweeping party platform recommendations Wednesday that—while falling short of progressive ambitions in a number of areas, from climate to healthcare—were applauded as important steps toward a bold and just policy agenda that matches the severity of the moment.

"We've moved the needle a lot, especially on environmental justice and upping Biden's ambition," said Sunrise Movement co-founder and executive director Varshini Prakash, a member of the Biden-Sanders Climate Task Force. "But there's still more work to do to push Democrats to act at the scale of the climate crisis."

The climate panel—co-chaired by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and former Secretary of State John Kerry—recommended that the Democratic Party commit to "eliminating carbon pollution from power plants by 2035," massively expanding investments in clean energy sources, and "achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for all new buildings by 2030."

In a series of tweets Wednesday night, Ocasio-Cortez—the lead sponsor of the House Green New Deal resolution—noted that the Climate Task Force "shaved 15 years off Biden's previous target for 100% clean energy."

"Of course, like in any collaborative effort, there are areas of negotiation and compromise," said the New York Democrat. "But I do believe that the Climate Task Force effort meaningfully and substantively improved Biden's positions."

 

The 110 pages of policy recommendations from the six eight-person Unity Task Forces on education, the economy, criminal justice, immigration, climate change, and healthcare are aimed at shaping negotiations over the 2020 Democratic platform at the party's convention next month.

Sanders said that while the "end result isn't what I or my supporters would've written alone, the task forces have created a good policy blueprint that will move this country in a much-needed progressive direction and substantially improve the lives of working families throughout our country."

"I look forward to working with Vice President Biden to help him win this campaign," the Vermont senator added, "and to move this country forward toward economic, racial, social, and environmental justice."

Biden, for his part, applauded the task forces "for helping build a bold, transformative platform for our party and for our country."

"I am deeply grateful to Bernie Sanders for working with us to unite our party and deliver real, lasting change for generations to come," said the former vice president.

On the life-or-death matter of reforming America's dysfunctional private health insurance system—a subject on which Sanders and Biden clashed repeatedly throughout the Democratic primary process—the Unity Task Force affirmed healthcare as "a right" but did not embrace Medicare for All, the signature policy plank of the Vermont senator's presidential bid.

Instead, the panel recommended building on the Affordable Care Act by establishing a public option, investing in community health centers, and lowering prescription drug costs by allowing the federal government to negotiate prices. The task force also endorsed making all Covid-19 testing, treatments, and potential vaccines free and expanding Medicaid for the duration of the pandemic.

"It has always been a crisis that tens of millions of Americans have no or inadequate health insurance—but in a pandemic, it's potentially catastrophic for public health," the task force wrote.

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a former Michigan gubernatorial candidate and Sanders-appointed member of the Healthcare Task Force, said that despite major disagreements, the panel "came to recommendations that will yield one of the most progressive Democratic campaign platforms in history—though we have further yet to go."

 

Observers and advocacy groups also applauded the Unity Task Forces for recommending the creation of a postal banking system, endorsing a ban on for-profit charter schools, ending the use of private prisons, and imposing a 100-day moratorium on deportations "while conducting a full-scale study on current practices to develop recommendations for transforming enforcement policies and practices at ICE and CBP."

Marisa Franco, director of immigrant rights group Mijente, said in a statement that "going into these task force negotiations, we knew we were going to have to push Biden past his comfort zone, both to reconcile with past offenses and to carve a new path forward."

"That is exactly what we did, unapologetically," said Franco, a member of the Immigration Task Force. "For years, Mijente, along with the broader immigrant rights movement, has fought to reshape the narrative around immigration towards racial justice and to focus these very demands. We expect Biden and the Democratic Party to implement them in their entirety."

"There is no going back," Franco added. "Not an inch, not a step. We must only move forward from here."

Reposted with permission from Common Dreams.

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