California Designates Clomiphene Citrate as a Chemical Known to Cause Cancer

Posted: 05/24/2013  browse the blog archive

Effective May 24, 2013, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has designated clomiphene citrate a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer.  Companies offering products for sale in California that expose consumers to clomiphene citrate will first have to provide health hazard warnings.  Businesses have one year from the date of listing as a carcinogen to comply with the regulation.

Clomiphene citrate, also known as clomifene, is a fertility drug used to induce ovulation.  It is also used to treat secondary male hypogonadism.  Clomiphene citrate has been identified or labeled to communicate a risk of ovarian cancer in accordance with formal requirements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  After a state or federal agency has required that a chemical be labeled or identified as causing cancer or reproductive toxicity, OEHHA evaluates whether an additional designation under California law is required.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings. The Chanler Group has represented citizen enforcers of Proposition 65 for more than twenty years.