Many bug repellents contain N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), a chemical that many people worry can cause serious illnesses like cancer. But research shows that DEET is safe when used properly.

Some worry that this active ingredient is toxic. Here’s what we know about its effect on human health. Credit...Eric Helgas for The New York Times Supported by By Isobel Whitcomb Q: Everyone says that ...

DEET is one of the most effective and common flea, tick, and mosquito repellents in the world. The active ingredient in about 120 commercially available products, it is considered safe for humans and ...

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The worldwide threat of arthropod-transmitted diseases, with their associated morbidity and mortality, underscores the need for effective insect repellents. Multiple chemical, botanical, and ...

Over the years, one thing has become clear from Consumer Reports’ testing of insect repellents: When in doubt, go with deet. Repellents that use deet as an active ingredient make up the majority of ...

With the pros of the outdoors—hiking, camping, bonfires, you name it—come the cons: bug bites. And this year, those itchy, blotchy, and uncomfortable bites may be more dangerous than ever. More than ...

Researchers have uncovered evidence hinting that the most common bug spray ingredient, DEET, might cause reproductive problems by affecting the formation of egg cells during pregnancy. The findings ...

The insect may learn to associate the chemical Deet with a ‘blood meal’, researchers say It is a spray used worldwide to protect humans from mosquito bites, but now research suggests Deet can become ...

Mosquito repellents are key to protect ourselves from mosquito bites and the pathogens they might carry. The most widely used active ingredient in insect repellents is N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, ...