With the current situation in the world where we have Covid-19 within our midst, washing hands with soaps or using hand sanitizers has become our new normal.
Most of us have been advised to use sanitizers in cases where handwashing is impossible to prevent contracting the coronavirus. Some of the hand sanitizers has however been considered toxic to humans.
The US Food and Drug Administration has advised the public to avoid using hand sanitizer products manufactured by a Mexican company – Eskbiochem SA. According to the regulator, the sanitizers made in this company contain methanol.
The FDA said that the presence of methanol (wood alcohol) in the hand sanitizer can be toxic to the consumer when absorbed through their skin or ingested.
The toxic substance; methanol was present in the tested samples of Lavar Gel and CleanCare No Germ.
“Lavar Gel contains 81 percent (v/v) methanol and no ethyl alcohol, and CleanCare No Germ contains 28 percent (v/v) methanol. Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic effects,” FDA stated.
After the test was conducted, the FDA has now urged consumers to avoid products made by the Mexican Company. Some of the products listed by the FDA include;
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
The FDA urged consumers who have used the sanitizers containing methanol to seek treatment. According to the FDA, the treatment is critical for a potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning.
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“Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death,” the Administration said.
At the same time, the FDA has asked the company to remove its sanitizer products from the market due to the risks associated with methanol poisoning.
The regulator recommended the consumers to stop using the hand sanitizers and dispose of them immediately inappropriate hazardous waste containers. Consumers were also urged not to flush or pour the products down the drain.
To prevent the spread of coronavirus, WHO recommended consumers to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that has at least 60 percent ethanol in case soap and water are not available.
