Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. (J&J) has been selling Tylenol pain products since 1955. But the complaint alleges that some Tylenol products contain titanium dioxide (TiO2), which the complaint says is a heavy metal that is used to color the pills bright white. The complaint contends that TiO2 can accumulate in the body and that it is harmful to humans.
The class for this action is all persons in the US who, between August 29, 2018 and the time a class is notified, bought, for personal or household use and not for resale or distribution, any of the Tylenol products. A California subclass has also been defined, for those in the class who bought the products in California.
The products at issue include the following:
- Tylenol Extra Strength
- Tylenol Extended Release
- Tylenol Cold + Flu Multi-Action
- Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe
- Tylenol PM
- Tylenol Rapid Release Gels
- Tylenol Regular Strength Liquid Gels
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed that limited amounts of TiO2 could be safely used in foods, but that was in 1966. More recently, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has asked the FDA to ban it from being used in foods. France did so in 2019, and the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) declared it no longer considered safe in 2021.
The complaint alleges, “The concerns of TiO2 relate to its accumulation in and toxicity to the human body, particularly in small, nanoparticle sizes.” The body absorbs the particles, which then accumulate in the body, and which the complaint says are “genotoxic, meaning they are able to damage DNA…”
According to the complaint, TiO2 is “harmful upon accumulation in the human body, including in the liver, spleen, kidney, brain, and lungs.” The particles are “genotoxic,” the complaint claims, which means they can damage DNA. The complaint says they can also “cause pathological lesions of the liver, spleen, kidneys, and brain; lung tumors; and inflammation, cell necrosis, and dysfunction in the kidneys.”
The complaint alleges that J&J’s website touts the safety of its products, saying its ingredients are “always used at safe levels…” It even lists TiO2 in an Ingredient Glossary as an “Opacifying Agent” that provides “an opaque appearance” but which the complaint alleges does not admit that it is used to artificially color products.
The company claims to use ingredients only in “amounts that are determined to be safe and well tolerated, and the final products are formulated and tested to minimize risk.” It calls Tylenol “safe and effective when used as directed[.]”
Nevertheless, the complaint alleges that J&J has known about the problems with TiO2 for a long time, at least since 2013 when, it claims, a “Medical Professional at Johnson & Johnson” coauthored a study about the inhalation toxicology of nano-TiO2 in mice. The complaint fault J&J for putting no warnings on its products and for representing them as safe.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Some Tylenol Products Contain Titanium Dioxide Complaint
August 29, 2022
Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. (J&J) has been selling Tylenol pain products since 1955. But the complaint alleges that some Tylenol products contain titanium dioxide (TiO2), which the complaint says is a heavy metal that is used to color the pills bright white. The complaint contends that TiO2 can accumulate in the body and that it is harmful to humans.
Some Tylenol Products Contain Titanium Dioxide ComplaintCase Event History
Some Tylenol Products Contain Titanium Dioxide Complaint
August 29, 2022
Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. (J&J) has been selling Tylenol pain products since 1955. But the complaint alleges that some Tylenol products contain titanium dioxide (TiO2), which the complaint says is a heavy metal that is used to color the pills bright white. The complaint contends that TiO2 can accumulate in the body and that it is harmful to humans.
Some Tylenol Products Contain Titanium Dioxide Complaint