Christian Brothers Contracting Corp. President Jason Vale was sentenced June 18 to 63 months in prison and three years of supervised release for selling Laetrile, a bogus cancer cure, the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of N.Y. ruled. Laetrile, also known as amygdalin, vitamin B-17 and "apricot pits," is "a highly toxic product that has not shown any effect on treating cancer," FDA says. Vale was convicted last July of three counts of criminal contempt for violating a 2000 court order to cease sale and promotion of Laetrile (1"The Tan Sheet" July 28, 2003, In Brief)...

Christian Brothers Contracting will cease manufacturing, processing and distributing amygdalin products under a consent decree signed Nov. 16, FDA announces. The New York-based firm used the Internet to market and sell the products - also referred to as laetrile, vitamin B17 or apricot kernels - for use in cancer therapy despite FDA warnings, the agency alleges. A Brooklyn federal court entered a preliminary injunction against Christian Brothers and its president in April

As of 5 February, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety is evaluating use of titanium dioxide – now officially classified as a Category 2 carcinogen in the EU – in cosmetic products that can expose consumers by way of inhalation. Without a favorable SCCS opinion, the ingredient’s use in those contexts will be banned under Article 15 of the Cosmetics Regulation.