Walgreens Bandages Contain Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Class Action Lawsuit Claims

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges Walgreens has failed to warn consumers that its adhesive bandages contain “extremely high levels” of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

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The 26-page false advertising lawsuit says that Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., the retail pharmacy chain’s parent company, has ubiquitously represented that its bandages are safe and support health and recovery, with packaging that claims the “Pharmacist recommended” products “keep out dirt & contaminants” and “[p]romote[] up to 2x faster healing.” However, despite these representations, independent testing has determined that the bandages contain PFAS—a group of synthetic chemicals linked to serious environmental effects and human health issues, including cancer, thyroid and liver diseases, immunodeficiency and infertility, the suit contends.

According to the case, there is no safe level of exposure to these “forever chemicals” because of the significant risk they pose to humans, particularly children and the elderly.

“Worst yet, because PFAS essentially never degrade, they continue to accumulate in the body, making even trace exposure harmful,” the complaint shares.

Per the filing, the analysis of the Walgreens products detected “extremely high levels” of organic fluorine, a compound that reliably indicates the presence of PFAS. The lawsuit charges that the tests revealed the bandages contained up to 243 parts per million (ppm) organic fluorine—six million times the PFAS limit set by new federal standards, which cap the presence of the toxic chemicals at just 0.00004 ppm.

The fraud suit alleges that by failing to warn consumers of the presence of PFAS in its bandages, Walgreens has misled shoppers and induced them to buy a product they otherwise would not have purchased had they known it would be harmful to their health.

The Walgreens lawsuit takes issue with the following products:

• Flexible Fabric Bandages;
• Strong Fabric Bandages;
• Soft Fabric Bandages;
• Smart-Flex Adhesive Bandages;
• Clear Spot Bandages;
• Antibacterial Clear Bandages;
• Strong Strip Bandages;
• Sheer Adhesive Pads;
• Antibacterial Adhesive Pads;
• Hydrocolloid Gel Bandages;
• Hydrocolloid Gel Bandages Large;
• Hydrocolloid Spot Bandages; and
• Hydrocolloid Bandages Finger & Toe Assorted.

The lawsuit looks to represent any Illinois residents who purchased any of the bandages listed on this page.

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