New Delhi, July 12 -- WASHINGTON - The debate over whether dryer sheets and fabric softeners can cause cancer has gone viral again this summer, with oncologists across the country weighing in on chemicals embedded in products that touch nearly every piece of clothing Americans wear. But the more revealing question may not be whether these products are dangerous. It may be why, in 2026, consumers still have almost no way of knowing what is in them.

Under current U.S. law, manufacturers of laundry products can list the single word "fragrance" on a label and disclose nothing further. The Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973 requires ingredient disclosure for consumer products but carves out an exception for fragrance formulations...