The United States Food and Drug Administration is launching an investigation into whether there are any health effects after a recent study found trace amounts of metals in some tampons.
On Tuesday, the FDA announced it commissioned an independent review and initiated an internal laboratory study to evaluate metals in tampons.
The news comes after a July 2024 study found that tampons sold under various popular brands may contain toxic metals such as arsenic and lead.
The study, published in the August 2024 volume of Environmental International, found that all 30 tampons tested from 14 brands, including organic tampons, contained lead, with some showing concerning levels of other toxic metals like arsenic.
Metals have been found to increase the risk of dementia, infertility, diabetes and cancer. They can damage the liver, kidneys, brain, and cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems.
However, gynecologists have raised concerns about the study and said that it doesn’t show that any trace metals actually leave the tampon and enter the bloodstream, and that the amounts found in the study appear to be less than what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows in a bottle of water.
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The FDA said while the findings raise concerns, the study did not assess whether these metals could be released, absorbed into the vaginal lining, or enter the bloodstream during use.
“The comprehensive review of the published literature will provide a better understanding of the data currently available regarding the presence of chemicals in tampons and, importantly, any associated health effects of those chemicals,” the FDA said in the release.
The study will also measure the amount of metals that come out of tampons under conditions that more closely mimic normal use, the agency said.
“These initiatives will enable the FDA to complete a risk assessment of metals contained in tampons, based on a worst-case scenario of metal exposure,” it added.
After the study, the FDA will release the findings publicly. It will also continue monitoring these devices as part of its total product lifecycle approach to medical devices.
The agency also emphasized that all tampons currently on the U.S. market have undergone and met the FDA’s premarket safety and biocompatibility testing requirements.
In Canada, tampons are regulated as medical devices by Health Canada. The health regulator’s website states it “makes sure that the tampons sold in Canada are safe, effective, and of high quality based on requirements for licensing, quality manufacture, and post-market surveillance.”
In an email to Global News on July 9, Health Canada said it “monitors information related to the safety of medical devices that are marketed for sale in Canada, including menstrual tampons. Health Canada will assess the findings of the study and will take action if warranted. ”
