Adults and children in the United States have been blinded, hospitalized and, in some cases, even died after drinking hand sanitizers contaminated with extremely toxic methanol alcohol, reports the Food and Drug Administration.
In an updated safety warning, the agency identified five more brands of methanol-containing hand sanitizer, a simple alcohol often linked to improperly distilled liquor that is poisonous if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.
The newly identified products are in addition to the nine methanol-containing disinfectants that the FDA identified last month, all made by Mexican manufacturer Eskbiochem SA de CV. According to FDA tests, one of the products contained 81 percent methanol and no ethanol, a safe alcohol that is generally used in hand sanitizers. At the time, the agency reported that it “was not aware of any reports of adverse events associated with these hand sanitizers.”
However, in the current warning, last updated on July 6, the FDA said state officials have informed the agency of cases of “adults and children ingesting methanol-contaminated hand sanitizers that have led to events recent adverse events such as blindness, hospitalizations and death. ” . “
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Protection Mystic Shield. gel alcohol
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Berish hand sanitizer.
NIH
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Grupo Insoma hand sanitizing gel.
The FDA is lobbying for them to be removed from the market. In the meantime, the agency advises consumers to stop using the products immediately, seek immediate attention if there are signs of poisoning, and dispose of the products in appropriate containers for hazardous waste (do not throw them down the drain).
Poisonous Products
Methanol is metabolized to formaldehyde, then to formic acid within the body. This can lead to a dangerous build-up of acid in the blood stream that damages organs and tissues, particularly the optic nerve, causing visual impairment and blindness. Drinking as little as 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) can be deadly to children, and even smaller amounts can cause blindness.
But drinking is not the only way that methanol causes severe harm. Inhalation or absorption of methanol through the skin can lead to the same systemic effects observed from ingestion. These can manifest as nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system, or death, the FDA notes.
“Although everyone who uses these products on their hands is at risk for methanol poisoning, young children who accidentally ingest these products and teens and adults who drink these products as substitutes for alcohol (ethanol) are at higher risk,” he said. the FDA in is a warning. The risks increase even more amid the current COVID-19 pandemic as many people use hand sanitizers more frequently to try to protect themselves against the devastating new coronavirus.
The recently identified products are the following:
- Disinfecting gel for hands without perfume 70% alcohol, made by Grupo Insoma, SAPI de CV (Mexico)
- Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer, manufactured by Transliquid Technologies (Mexico)
- Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Free fragrance-free, manufactured by Soluciones Cosmeticas SA de CV (Mexico)
- Antiseptic alcohol 70% Topical disinfectant solution for hands, manufactured by Soluciones Cosmeticas SA de CV (Mexico)
- Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%, made by Tropicosmeticos SA de CV (Mexico)
The full list of product codes can be found here.
