FDA Toxic Hand Sanitizers List Has Been Updated
FDA Toxic Hand Sanitizers List Has Been Updated
I have been pretty diligent about keeping myself safe during the coronavirus pandemic. I have always been a person that washes my hands, uses hand sanitizer, and being sure to disinfect shared workspaces. In the radio business, we use common works spaces all the time. I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer at my desk and the studio. So, I was pretty horrified to understand that there are hand sanitizer products that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have placed on a toxic list because it includes methanol in its ingredient list. I will admit that I relived that this has been brought to our attention but concerned that not everyone is aware. According to the FDA, “Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol and are experiencing symptoms should seek immediate treatment for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning. Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system, or death.” Also, the “FDA encourages health care professionals, consumers, and patients to report adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of hand sanitizers” to report information the MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.” Click here for more details. My advice is to be sure to read the label thoroughly. I’ve been keeping liquid hand soap with me with a bottle of water so I can wash my hands at any given point. People look at my crazy, while I’m washing my hands in the grocery store parking lot, but I don’t care too much, I figured my hands are clean. The COVID-19 pandemic is here, and we are still dealing with a new normal, but let’s be sure we stay away from toxic products too. Click here for the full list from the FDA of specific products with NDC numbers that tested positive for methanol.
(Source) For more about this story from the FDA, click here. For the FDA MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program, click here. Click here for the full list from the FDA of specific products with NDC numbers that tested positive for methanol.