Nancy King-Ream
Researcher and professor emerita in nursing who led independent laboratory testing of tampons in the early 1980s and helped establish national absorbency standards after the toxic shock syndrome crisis.
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Feb 17, 2026 • 10min
Toxic shock syndrome and tampon safety
Nancy King-Ream, researcher and professor emerita in nursing who led independent tampon testing in the early 1980s. She recounts the TSS outbreak, the FDA tampon task force, and how lab testing of absorbency and realistic menstrual fluid led to new national standards. The story covers testing methods, industry pushback, and lasting changes to tampon labeling and safety.
