#FDA warns not to use these 9 ‘toxic’ hand sanitizers

“#FDA warns not to use these 9 ‘toxic’ hand sanitizers”

June 22, 2020 | 4:30pm | Updated June 22, 2020 | 5:05pm

The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to avoid nine brands of potentially toxic hand sanitizers.

According to the report, the antibacterial gels and lotions in question may contain methanol, which can be lethal if absorbed through the skin.

At the start of the coronavirus outbreak, stores could hardly keep hand sanitizer stocked on shelves. Now, having access to the ubiquitous product could be a matter of life and death.

The agency’s alert specifically calls out products by Mexico-based manufacturer Eskbiochem SA de CV, asking them to pull these “potentially dangerous products” from the US market. Lab tests revealed that one of its sanitizers, Lavar Gel, contained 81% methanol. Another name, CleanCare No Germ, showed a methanol content of 28%.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning include nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness and seizures, and could lead to coma, damage to the nervous system and death, the FDA said.

Consumers should dispose of these products immediately in hazardous waste containers. “Do not flush or pour these products down the drain,” they added.

The FDA notes that they are not aware of any methanol exposure reports, but stress that time is critical if someone does appear to be suffering from methanol toxicity.

The FDA listed these products in their report: