FDA Highlights a Second New Toxic Ingredient Found in Recalled Hand Sanitizers
The Food and Drug Administration has updated its recall list to include 149 different hand sanitizers due to failing standards on randomized tests.
Many products have tested positive for methanol, a type of alcohol that is toxic when ingested and may be harmful when applied directly to the skin. A recent announcement from the agency also indicates some hand sanitizers make use of 1-propanol, a toxin that may affect the central nervous system after prolonged exposure.
Others have indicated insufficient levels of alcohol overall, rendering those sanitizers ineffective per FDA guidelines.
Hand sanitizer is a great way to keep your hands clean while in public. Safety officials at the Food and Drug Administration are warning Americans that not all hand sanitizers are made equal, however, and some may actually not be cleaning your hands effectively. The agency has been continuously sampling hand sanitizers, announcing that a growing list of brands have tested positive for methanol, a type of alcohol that can be toxic when applied to your hands and is dangerous when ingested. "The agency is aware of adults and children ingesting hand sanitizer products contaminated with methanol that has led to recent adverse events including blindness, hospitalizations and death," the FDA's safety warning reads.
Furthermore, the agency recently announced that a toxin known as 1-propanol has been found in products that list ethanol or isopropyl alcohol as their main ingredient. According to the FDA announcement, 1-propanol can be increasingly dangerous for those who are exposed to it via hand sanitizer (or actual consumption) due to the fact that it can depress the central nervous system over time. For those who may accidentally consume a product containing 1-propanol, the FDA reports that the toxin is shown to be upwards of 4 times as potent to the central nervous system as regular alcohol. This toxin might impair your consciousness, cause prolonged confusion, and a slowed pulse and hitched breathing.
Over the summer, the FDA had also indicated that some "hand sanitizers have concerningly low levels of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol." They've updated their list (which has grown past 100 products in total) to also include hand sanitizers that don't have enough alcohol in them. The FDA's list stands at 149 different hand sanitizing products. Most of the products are labeled as "Made in Mexico" according to the FDA; they also have multiple expiration dates (some into 2022), and multiple product codes. According to reports from the Miami Herald, a few of the products on the FDA's list were previously sold at Walmart stores in states across the country as well as Target locations nationwide. As more voluntary recalls are issued, the Washington Post also reports that some products have been pulled from Costco and BJ's Wholesale Club as well.
Certain quantities of alcohol are indeed necessary in hand sanitizers — the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend using products that contain at least 60% ethanol alcohol — but methanol isn't comparable to other agents often used in effective sanitizers. Birnur Aral, PhD, the director of the health, beauty, and environmental sciences lab in the Good Housekeeping Institute, says that absorbing methanol in particularthrough your skin can lead to "nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, blindness, coma, and even death" when used frequently. "Methanol metabolizes in the body through formation of formaldehyde (a known carcinogen); it converts into formic acid in the body, which can cause histotoxic hypoxia and acidosis." Furthermore, products containing methanol or 1-propanol may not actually list the ingredient on its packaging or ingredient's list, the FDA says in it's latest warning.
Which hand sanitizers are toxic or ineffective?
The FDA is continually updating their warning list of National Drug Code registry numbers (NDC numbers) for hand sanitizers containing methanol, 1-propanol, as well as products that have too-low alcohol contents. As of August 13, the FDA's recall list includes the following 149 variations, where you may also view NDC numbers. Recent additions include the following:
Biokaab Inc. dgreen Advanced Sanitizer Alcohol Free (with multiple NDCs).
Volu-Sol, Inc.'s Volu-Sol Handrub Sanitizing Solution (with multiple NDCs).
Open Book Extracts' Just Hand Sanitizer (with multiple NDCs).
Open Book Extracts' Always Be Clean Hand Sanitizer (with multiple NDCs).
Santa Cruz Biotechnology's UltraCruz Hand Sanitizing Gel Antimicrobial (with mulitple NDCs).
SG24 LLC's SkinGuard24 All-Day Hand Sanitizer (NDC not listed).
Grupo Plast Y Kosas Sa De CV's O.K. Pharmacy Hand Sanitizer (with multiple NDCs).
Plastico Las Palmas SA de CV's In Good Hands Hand Sanitizer Gel (with multiple NDCs).
The full list can be found below:
Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol
Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear Ethyl Alcohol 70%
BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear
BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear
KLAR AND DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer
MODESA Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe
BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer Clear
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe
BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
BLUMEN Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol
BLUMEN Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavender, with 70% alcohol
Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe, with 70% alcohol
Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer
Blumen Hand Sanitizer Fresh Citrus
KLAR and DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer
The Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer
Hello Kitty Hand Sanitizer
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E and Aloe)
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe and Moisturizers)
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Vitamin E and Aloe
Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe and Moisturizers
BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free
BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera
4E Global SAPI de CV's Assured Aloe
bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer
LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 4 oz
LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 16 oz
QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer
NEXT Hand Sanitizer
Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol extra soft with glycerin and aloe
NuuxSan Instant Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer
NuuxSan Instant Hand Sanitizer
Assured Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Aloe and Moisturizers
Assured Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Vitamin E and Aloe
Modesa Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers and Aloe Vera
Modesa Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers and Vitamin E
Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol
Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol
Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol
Earths Amenities Instant Unscented Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced
Agavespa Skincare's Hand Sanitizer
Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
Eskobiochem's All-Clean Hand Sanitizer
Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (multiple sizes)
CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Grupo Insoma's Hand Sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol
Medicare Alcohol Antiseptic Topical Solution
GelBact Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer
TriCleanz
Sayab Antisepctic Hand Sanitizer 100
Jaloma Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 62% with Vitamin E
Leiper's Fork Distillery Bulk Disinfectant per 5 gallon and Leiper's Fork Distillery 16 oz bottle
Andy's Best
Andy's
NeoNatural
Plus Advanced
Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer
Optimus Lubricants Instant Hand Sanitizer
Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer
Selecto Hand Sanitizer
Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol
Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol Rinse Free Hand Rub
Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
Born Basic. Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer 70% alcohol
Born Basic. Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer 65% Alcohol
Scent Theory — Keep It Clean — Pure Clean Anti-bacterial Hand Sanitizer
Cavalry
ENLIVEN Hand Sanitizing Gel
Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gel
Scent Theory -- Keep It Clean -- Pure Clean Anti-bacterial Hand Sanitizer
Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free
Bersih Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer
Purity Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer Gel Alcohol 70%
TriCleanz Tritanium Labs Hand Sanitizer
Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%
Parabola Hand Sanitizer
Urbane Bath and Body Hand Sanitizer
Cleaner Hand Sanitizer Rinse Free 70%
Handzer Hand Sanitizer Rinse Free
Kleanz Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer Advanced
Be Safe Hand Sanitizer
Wave Hand Sanitizer Gel
DAESI Hand Sanitizer
Alcohol Antiseptic 75% Topical Solution Hand Sanitizer
M Hand Sanitizer Alcohol Antiseptic
Jalisco Paper Inc Restaurant Supplies Hand Sanitizer
O.K. Pharmacy Hand Sanitizer
Hand Sanitizer Alcohol Antiseptic Topical Solution 80%
Open Book Extracts' Always Be Clean Hand Sanitizer and Just Hand Sanitizer Single Use Packs
In Good Hands Hand Sanitizer Gel
BV BYE Virus 99
UltraCruz Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizing Gel
SkinGuard24 All-Day Hand Sanitizer
Volu-Sol Handrub Sanitizing Solution
Leafree Instant Hand Sanitizer
CleanCare Nogerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
V-KLEAN Hand Sanitizer Gel
Derma70 Hand Sanitizer
The FDA shared that methanol "is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand sanitizers, and must not be used due to its toxic effects." The FDA is asking customers to safely dispose of the sanitizer in question (view full lists here and here). Additionally, the FDA says its working to correct "false and misleading" claims on hand sanitizers being sold during the COVID-19 pandemic — primarily, on those that promise 24-hour protection against viruses like COVID-19.
The best way to keep your hands clean continues to be thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, as hand sanitizer is designed to temporarily clean hands when you can't access a sink. Aral advises checking the hand sanitizers' drug facts before you buy, looking for one of the following active ingredients: Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol or Alcohol for short) at 60— 95% in the entire formula; Isopropyl Alcohol, or Isopropanol at 70— 91.3% in the entire formula; or Benzalkonium Chloride, usually at less than 1%. "As hand sanitizers are regulated as over-the-counter drugs, the legitimate ones should have a Drugs Facts label like sunscreens," Aral shares. "Avoid purchasing or using hand sanitizers without such labels as they might now have been properly formulated and/or manufactured."
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