John,

Public health researchers just found lead, arsenic, and other toxic heavy metals in multiple tampon brands sold in the US and Europe.

It means pharmaceutical companies have been exposing millions of women to a cocktail of harmful substances, known to increase risk of dementia, infertility, diabetes, and cancer for years.

Like so often with health issues affecting women and girls, these companies haven’t bothered to do the research to find out the risks. Now there’s no excuse. Leading brands are coming under huge pressure to act – add your name:

Tampax, Kotex and other leading brands: get toxic metals out of tampons now.

The data is horrifying – every single tampon tested was found to contain lead, which has no safe level of exposure according to the World Health Organisation. In at least one sample, the scientists found SIXTEEN different metals.

Because of a woeful lack of research, it’s unclear whether tampons actually leach these toxins when in use. But researchers have raised serious concerns, given that vaginal tissue is highly absorptive, meaning the metals may be able to enter the bloodstream directly.

Potentially millions of people use these brands every month… the manufacturers should be leaping to attention to test their products, add warning labels, and act to make sure they’re safe.

But they’ve got a long history of neglecting issues that mainly affect women, and won’t act unless they feel the heat. Can you sign now to help ramp up the pressure?

Tampax, Kotex and other leading brands: get toxic metals out of tampons now.