I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5957 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program of research 

regarding the risks posed by the presence of dioxins, phthalates, pesticides, chemical fragrances, and other components of menstrual products 

and intimate care products. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 13, 2023 

Ms. MENG (for herself, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. CHU, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. 

MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Ms. CROCKETT) introduced 

the following bill 

OCTOBER 25, 2023 

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program of research regarding the risks posed by the presence of dioxins, phthalates, pesticides, chemical fragrances, and other components of menstrual products 

and intimate care products. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Robin Danielson Men3 strual Product and Intimate Care Product Safety Act of 

4 2023’’. 

5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

6 The Congress finds as follows: 

7 (1) Menstrual products and intimate care prod8 ucts are widely used in the United States today, but 

9 there is not enough research on the safety of or po10 tential chemical exposure from components of these 

11 products. 

12 (2) People who menstruate may be exposed to 

13 substances in tampons and other menstrual products 

14 for as long as 40 years over the course of their re15 productive lives. The average person who menstru16 ates may use up to 16,000 tampons in their lifetime. 

17 (3) Trace amounts of dioxins can be found in 

18 tampons and other menstrual products. The Envi19 ronmental Protection Agency and the International 

20 Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the 

21 World Health Organization, have concluded that 

22 dioxins are a probable human carcinogen (cancer23 causing agent). 

24 (4) Chemical testing of menstrual products 

25 from around the world have detected several addi26 tional chemicals of concern including phthalates, 

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1 volatile organic compounds, pesticides, carbon disul2 fide, and per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances 

3 (PFAS). 

4 (5) Intimate care products frequently contain 

5 undisclosed fragrance chemicals, some of which may 

6 be allergens, reproductive toxins, and carcinogens. 

7 Such products also contain potentially harmful pre8 servatives. Research released by Apothercare, Wom9 en’s Voices for the Earth, and Black Women for 

10 Wellness found that some intimate care products 

11 specifically inhibit the growth of lactobacillus, a cru12 cial type of healthy bacteria found in the vaginal 

13 microbiome. Disruption of the vaginal microbiome 

14 can lead to significant health problems including 

15 bacterial vaginosis, increased risk of sexually trans16 mitted diseases, and fertility concerns. 

17 (6) Intimate care products (especially douches 

18 and powders) have been associated with higher levels 

19 of toxic chemicals in the bodies of people who use 

20 them. Specifically, phthalate levels in urine were sig21 nificantly higher in people who douche frequently. 

22 Another study found significantly higher levels of 

23 1,4–dichlorobenzene in the blood of people who 

24 douche frequently and higher levels of ethylbenzene 

25 in the blood of intimate powder users. 

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1 (7) Research regarding the presence of chemi2 cals in menstrual products and intimate care prod3 ucts plays a role in advancing health equity for pop4 ulations that have historically experienced health dis5 parities, including Black people. 

6 (8) Regulatory oversight of the safety of mate7 rials in menstrual and intimate care products is lim8 ited. The Food and Drug Administration has histori9 cally relied on data provided by manufacturers of 

10 menstrual products in determining product safety. 

11 Intimate care products generally do not need ap12 proval by the Food and Drug Administration before 

13 they go on the market, and manufacturers have the 

14 responsibility to ensure the safety of their products. 

15 SEC. 3. RESEARCH ON DIOXINS AND OTHER POTENTIALLY 

16 HARMFUL COMPONENTS OF MENSTRUAL 

17 PRODUCTS AND INTIMATE CARE PRODUCTS. 

18 Part F of title IV of the Public Health Service Act 

19 (42 U.S.C. 287d et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

20 the following new section: 

21 ‘‘SEC. 486C. RESEARCH ON DIOXINS AND OTHER POTEN22 TIALLY HARMFUL COMPONENTS OF MEN23 STRUAL PRODUCTS AND INTIMATE CARE 

24 PRODUCTS. 

25 ‘‘(a) RESEARCH.— 

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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director of NIH shall 

2 provide for the conduct or support of research to de3 termine the extent to which the presence of dioxins, 

4 phthalates, titanium dioxide, and other components 

5 (including contaminants and substances used as fra6 grances, colorants, dyes, and preservatives) in tam7 pons and other menstrual products and intimate 

8 care products— 

9 ‘‘(A) poses any risks to the health of peo10 ple who use the products, including risks re11 lated to gynecologic, breast, and other cancers, 

12 endometriosis, infertility and pregnancy out13 comes, immune system deficiencies, pelvic in14 flammatory disease, toxic shock syndrome, the 

15 health of the vaginal microbiome, and other 

16 bacterial and yeast infections; and 

17 ‘‘(B) poses any risks to the health of chil18 dren or people who used such products during 

19 or before the pregnancies involved, including 

20 risks related to fetal and childhood develop21 ment. 

22 ‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—For purposes of paragraph 

23 (1)— 

24 ‘‘(A) the term ‘menstrual products’ means 

25 tampons, pads, liners, cups, sponges, and simiVerDate Sep 11 2014 08:22 Nov 03, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5957.IH H5957
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1 lar products used by people who menstruate 

2 with respect to menstruation or other genital3 tract secretions; and 

4 ‘‘(B) the term ‘intimate care products’ 

5 means douches, wipes, sprays, washes, powders, 

6 and similar products used with respect to vulva 

7 or vaginal cleansing. 

8 ‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

9 purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 

10 to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 

11 each of the fiscal years 2024 through 2028.’’. 

Æ