Hand sanitizers can be dangerous too!
The coronavirus battle is not over yet, and we want to get rid-off with the virus. With that, alcohols and hand sanitizers are our ally and the scarcity had brought us to conform to any sanitizing products just to get one.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people not to use certain hand sanitizer products because they may contain methanol, a toxic substance when absorbed through skin or ingested. Methanol is a toxic alcohol that is used industrially as a solvent, pesticide and alternative fuel source, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.
According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, methanol can potentially be lethal only if used in a dose of 30 to 240 ml. The chemicals used in producing the hand sanitizers can trigger various diseases. According to the study conducted by the FDA, total use and exposure to methanol can result in nausea, seizures, vomiting, blurred vision, headache, permanent blindness, coma, and permanent damage to the nervous system and death. That is why it is really important to educate ourselves and be aware with the setbacks of the sanitizing products that we use these days.
The FDA advises consumers to “stop using these hand sanitizers and dispose of them immediately” and they have released a complete list.
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)
Those exposed to hand sanitizers that contain methanol should seek medical care immediately, according to the FDA.
There are many things that can be an alternate for hand sanitizer: where hand sanitizers is back in stock. Your ultimate guide to proper hand-washing is readily available on the net and it is really basic. Everybody must encourage themselves and their loved ones to do the hand-washing frequently. When people ask how to protect themselves against the spread of COVID-19, one of the first suggestions from doctors is washing your hands. Here are the do’s and don’ts.
The FDA found methanol in samples of Lavar Gel and CleanCare No Germ hand sanitizers manufactured by Eskbiochem SA, a chemical manufacturer based in Mexico. The agency has recommended to Eskbiochem that the company remove its hand sanitizer products from the market, but the company has not yet removed them. Children who accidentally ingest hand sanitizer and young people who drink hand sanitizer as an alcohol substitute are at an increased risk for methanol poisoning, the FDA said.
The USA TODAY has reached out to the FDA for comment and approval.
