FDA List of Hand Sanitizers to Avoid Continues to Grow
August 17, 2020
The recalled hand sanitizer list from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has grown from 101 to more than 130 due to a new ingredient causing concern, USA Today reports.
The FDA first warned against using hand sanitizer that contain the toxic ingredient methanol, then it warned of hand sanitizers containing enough active ingredient to be effective. The latest warning is about the ingredient 1-propanol, which can be toxic and life-threatening when swallowed. This poses danger to young children accidentally drinking it or adults or teens who drink it as an alcohol substitute.
Symptoms of 1-propanol exposure can include confusion, decreased consciousness, and slowed pulse and breathing. Even without ingesting hand sanitizer with 1-propane, users can experience skin or eye irritation, or an allergic skin reaction.
Health officials recommend using trusted brands of sanitizer you are familiar with and checking all brands against the FDA’s list.
