MUCINEX, an over-the-counter expectorant and cough medicine sold by supermarkets including Walmart, may contain benzene, a carcinogen, fortune reported Monday, citing a Bloomberg analysis. As a well-known brand in the United States, MUCINEX has been the most popular expectorant cough medicine on the market.
It is reported that the drug is divided into brand-name drugs and general-purpose drugs sold in supermarkets in two types. Although they work the same way, the inactive ingredient used in the generic version may contain benzene. The general-purpose drug is widely sold at CVS, an American drugstore chain, and at big chains like Walmart, Target and Walgreens, according to a Bloomberg analysis of government data, millions of consumers may have unknowingly purchased drugs containing benzene.
Benzene is a known potent carcinogen and is closely associated with blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.