Crest, Colgate lawsuits target fluoride in kids' toothpaste, mouth rinse (updated)

Perrigo

14/01/2025 17:59

(Adds comments from plaintiffs' lawyer, earlier court ruling,
paragraphs 9, 13)

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      Lawsuits claim products mislead consumers about fluoride
safety
    

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      Fluoride ingestion risks highlighted in lawsuits
    

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      Study links fluoride exposure to lower IQ in children
    

  
    By Jonathan Stempel
       Jan 14 (Reuters) - Procter & Gamble  PG.N  and
Colgate-Palmolive  CL.N  are among the defendants in six new
lawsuits targeting the sale of toothpaste and mouth rinse for
young children because the products contain fluoride, which can
be harmful if swallowed in large quantities.
    Parents filed complaints on Monday in federal courts in
Illinois and California over products such as Procter & Gamble's
Kid's Crest toothpaste and several products sold under Colgate's
namesake, Tom's of Maine and Hello brands.
    Other challenged products include Perrigo's  PRGO.N  Firefly
anti-cavity rinse and Sanofi's  SASY.PA  ACT Kids rinse.
    The proposed class actions cite warnings from U.S. health
regulators that fluoride-based toothpastes and rinses not be
used by children under ages 2 and 6, respectively, and that the
toothpastes be kept out of reach of children under age 6.
    They also say the products are marketed as "candy-like" with
bright colors, cartoon images and flavors such as Groovy Grape
and Silly Strawberry. The color of one Kid's Crest product is
shown changing to pink from blue as children brush.
    Fluoride helps prevent cavities when applied topically to
the teeth, but when ingested can pose significant risks to and
even kill young children, according to the lawsuits.
    Procter & Gamble, Colgate, Perrigo and Sanofi did not
immediately respond to requests for comment.
    The lawsuits seek restitution, compensatory damages and
triple or punitive damages for violations of various consumer
protection laws.
    "These lawsuits are not about whether fluoride toothpaste
should be available to those who want it," Michael Connett, a
partner at the law firm Siri & Glimstad representing the
parents, said in an interview. "They are about companies that
mislead consumers into believing these products are harmless to
young children."
    The relationship between fluoride and human health has long
been debated.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is U.S. President-elect Donald
Trump's pick to become secretary of health and human services,
has questioned fluoride's safety and use in public water
systems.
Last week, a study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics
linked higher fluoride exposures in children to lower IQ scores.
In September, a San Francisco federal judge ordered the
Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in
drinking water because of the possible link to lower IQ. Connett
represented advocacy groups seeking additional regulation.
    The Illinois cases are Gibson et al v. Perrigo Co, Gurrola
et al v. Procter & Gamble Co, Harden et al v. Colgate-Palmolive
Co, and Gurrola et al v. Chattem Inc, U.S. District Court,
Northern District of Illinois, Nos. 25-00348, 25-00358, 25-00362
and 25-00366.
    The California cases are Verbish et al v. Colgate-Palmolive
Co, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.
25-00426; and Miller et al v. Hello Products LLC, U.S. District
Court, Southern District of California, No. 25-00071.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Mark
Porter and Rod Nickel)
((mailto:jon.stempel@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6317;
Reuters Messaging:
rm://jon.stempel.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net/))