FDA Warns 9 Hand Sanitizer Brands Containing Toxic Methanol Can Be Fatal
The Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers that several types of hand sanitizer made in Mexico may contain methanol, which can be toxic when applied to the skin or ingested.
On their website, the FDA listed nine different hand sanitizer products all from the Mexican manufacturer Eskbiochem SA de CV that should not be used under any circumstances.
The products are: All-Clean Hand Sanitizer, Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol, Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer, The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol, and Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer.
The FDA said they tested samples of the products Lavar Gel and CleanCare No Germ and found methanol, which is a form of alcohol.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, methanol can be absorbed in the body via inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or eye contact. If ingested, it can cause a range of issues, including headache, dizziness, blurred vision, kidney failure, coma, and even death.
The FDA urges any consumers that have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol to seek treatment immediately.
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The FDA said that on June 17, they contacted Eskbiochem to recommend the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market. However, the company has yet to take action, the FDA said.
The FDA recommends consumers immediately stop using the toxic hand sanitizer products and dispose of them in appropriate hazardous waste containers. Consumers should not flush or pour the products down the drain.
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Amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, health experts, including the CDC, have recommended sanitizing your hands by washing them with soap and water as the best way to avoid infection.
If soap and water are unavailable, the CDC has recommended using a hand sanitizer that’s made from at least 60 percent ethanol.
If done correctly, experts estimate that sanitizing your hands can reduce the rate of infection by respiratory illness infection by 16 to 21 percent.
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