The Food and Drug Administration has expanded the number of store-bought hand sanitizers to 87 that consumers should avoid because they contain a potentially toxic chemical.
The regulatory agency said Tuesday that it has seen a “sharp increase” in disinfectants that claim to contain ethanol but have tested positive for methanol. Also known as wood alcohol, methanol can be toxic when absorbed through the skin and fatal if ingested. Some of the FDA-identified disinfectants are potentially dangerous and are sold nationwide at retailers, including Walmart and Target.
“Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used because of its toxic effects,” the FDA said in a statement, which directs consumers to its website, where it maintains a list of disinfectant products to avoid. .
“The agency is aware of adults and children who ingest methanol-contaminated hand sanitizers that have caused recent adverse events such as blindness, hospitalizations and death,” the FDA previously stated.
According to the agency, young children who accidentally ingest these products, as well as adolescents and adults who drink them as alcohol substitutes, are at increased risk of methanol poisoning.
Demand for hand sanitizer has skyrocketed due to the coronavirus pandemic, as public health officials encourage frequent hand washing. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that consumers use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% ethanol if soap and water are not available.
The FDA added two new brands of hand sanitizers to its recall list on Monday, due to the possible presence of methanol in the products. A company called 4E Brands voluntarily recalled all batches of its brands of hand sanitizers. Another company, Resource and Recovery Trading, also recalled all of its hand sanitizers.
The following is the latest list of potentially toxic disinfectants, according to the FDA:
- AAA Cosmetica bio aaa Advance hand sanitizer
- LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer by AAA Cosmetic 4 oz
- AAA Cosmetic LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 16 oz
- AAA Cosmetica QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer
- Herbacil Broncolin antiseptic hand sanitizer, 70% alcohol
- DDI Multinational’s Earths Amenities Instant fragrance-free hand sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced
- DDI Multinational Agavespa Skincare Hand Sanitizer
- DDI Multinational’s Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Agavespa Skincare Hand Sanitizer
- Eskbiochem Totally Clean Hand Sanitizer
- Eskbiochem’s Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
- Eskbiochem’s Lavar 70 Hand Sanitizing Gel
- Eskbiochem’s The Good Gel Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer Gel
- Eskbiochem’s CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Sanitizer for hands 80% alcohol
- Eskbiochem’s CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Sanitizer for hands 75% alcohol
- Eskbiochem’s CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Sanitizer for hands 80% alcohol
- 4E Global Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol
- Blumen Advanced 4E Global Instant Ethyl Alcohol 70% Clear Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Clear Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer (labeled with Greenbrier International Inc.)
- Modesa, 4E Global Instant Hand Sanitizer, Moisturizers & Vitamin E
- 4E Global Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Blumen Advanced Aloe Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
- 4E Global Blumen Clear Lear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Clear Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe
- 4E Global Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
- Blumen Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer from 4E Global, 70% Alcohol
- 4E Global Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizing Lavender, 70% Alcohol
- 4E Global Advanced Blumen Aloe Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol
- 4E Global Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Fresh Citrus Blumen Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer
- Hello Kitty from 4E Global by Sanrio Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global Insured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E & Aloe)
- 4E Global Insured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe & Moisturizers)
- 4E Global Vitamin E & Aloe Insured Instant Hand Sanitizer
- Aloe and instant moisturizers guaranteed for hands by 4E Global
- 4E Global Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free
- 4E Global Aloe Vera Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer
- Aloe insured from 4E Global
- Eskbiochem Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- Grupo Insoma hand sanitizing gel 70% fragrance-free gel
- Disinfectant, humectant and hand sanitizer all clean ITECH 361
- Jaloma antiseptic hand sanitizer ethyl alcohol 62% with vitamin E
- Leiper’s Fork Distillery 5 Gallon Bulk Disinfectant and Leiper’s Fork Distillery 16 oz.
- The best Andy from Limpo Quimicos
- Andy from Limpo Quimicos
- Gelclor de Limpo Quimicos
- NepoNatural by Limpo Quimicos
- Limpo Quimicos’ Plus Advanced
- Liqesa Exportacion or Liq-ES.A.’s Optimus Lubricants Instant Sanitizer
- Maquiladora Miniara Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer
- Selecto hand sanitizer from Maquiladora Miniara
- MXL Comercial 70% Ethyl Alcohol Hand Sanitizer Gel (labeled with Resource Recovery & Trading LLC)
- MXL Commercial 70% Ethyl Alcohol Hand Sanitizer Hand Sanitizer Hands Free Rinse (labeled Resource Recovery & Trading LLC)
- Mystic International Protection Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
- Basic Anti-Bac Born Hand Sanitizer from Real Clean Distribuciones
- Anti-bac hand sanitizer from Real Clean Distribuciones
- Real Clean Distribuciones Aroma Theory – Keep It Clean – Pure Clean Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer
- Royal Clean Distributions Cavalry
- ENLIVEN hand sanitizing gel from Real Clean Distribuciones
- Real Clean Distribuciones Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gel
- Real Clean Distribuciones’s Keep It Clean
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- Hand sanitizer from Real Clean Distribuciones
- Bersih Hand Sanitizing Gel by Cosmetic Solutions Fragrance Free
- Hand sanitizer with topical alcohol solution 70% of cosmetic solutions
- Soluciones Cosmeticas hand sanitizer (labeled with Wet Look Janitorial and Gardening Corp.)
- Transliquid Technologies Mystic Shield Protection Hand Sanitizer
- Tropicosmeticos’ Britz Sanitizer Hand Ethyl Alcohol 70%
- Daesi hand sanitizer by Yara Elena De La Garza Pérez Nieto
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