FDA Expands List Of Potentially Toxic Hand Sanitizers

The Federal Drug Administration has expanded to 87 the number of store-bought hand sanitizers that consumers should avoid because they contain a potentially toxic chemical.

Tuesday, July 28th 2020, 4:01 pm

By: CBS News


The Federal Drug Administration has expanded to 87 the number of store-bought hand sanitizers that consumers should avoid because they contain a potentially toxic chemical.

The regulatory agency on Tuesday said it has seen a "sharp increase" in sanitizers that claim to contain ethanol but that have tested positive for methanol. Also known as wood alcohol, methanol can be toxic when absorbed through the skin and deadly if swallowed. Some of the sanitizers identified by the FDA is potentially dangerous are sold nationwide at retailers including Walmart and Target.

"Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and must not be used due to its toxic effects," the FDA said in a statement, directing consumers to its website, where it maintains a list of hand sanitizer products to avoid.

"The agency is aware of adults and children ingesting hand sanitizer products contaminated with methanol that has led to recent adverse events including blindness, hospitalizations and death," the FDA previously stated.

Young children who accidentally ingest these products, as well as adolescents and adults who drink them as an alcohol substitute, are most at risk of methanol poisoning, according to the agency. 

Demand for hand sanitizer has spiked due to the coronavirus pandemic, as public health officials encourage frequent hand washing. The U.S. 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 on Monday added two new brands of hand sanitizers to its recall list, due to the potential presence of methanol in the products. A company called 4E Brands voluntarily recalled all lots of its hand sanitizer brands. Another company, Resource and Recovery Trading, also recalled all lots of its hand sanitizers. 

The following is the latest list of potentially toxic sanitizers, according to the FDA:

  1. AAA Cosmetica's bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer 
  2. AAA Cosmetica's LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 4 oz
  3. AAA Cosmetica's LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 16 oz
  4. AAA Cosmetica's QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer 
  5. Broncolin's Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol
  6. DDI Multinacional's Earths Amenities Instant Unscented Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced
  7. DDI Multinacional's Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
  8. DDI Multinacional's Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
  9. Eskbiochem's All-Clean Hand Sanitizer
  10. Eskbiochem's Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
  11. Eskbiochem's Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
  12. Eskbiochem's The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
  13. Eskbiochem's CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
  14. Eskbiochem's CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
  15. Eskbiochem's CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
  16. 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol
  17. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear Ethyl Alcohol 70%
  18. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear
  19. 4E Global's Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer (labeled with Greenbrier International Inc.)
  20. 4E Global's Modesa Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E
  21. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer
  22. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe
  23. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
  24. 4E Global's Blumen Clear Lear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
  25. 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
  26. 4E Global's The Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer
  27. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Clear
  28. 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer
  29. 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe
  30. 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
  31. 4E Global's Blumen Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70% Alcohol
  32. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavender, with 70% alcohol
  33. 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe, with 70% alcohol
  34. 4E Global's Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer
  35. 4E Global's Blumen Hand Sanitizer Fresh Citrus
  36. 4E Global's Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer
  37. 4E Global's Hello Kitty by Sanrio Hand Sanitizer
  38. 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E and Aloe)
  39. 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe and Moisturizers)
  40. 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Vitamin E and Aloe
  41. 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe and Moisturizers
  42. 4E Global's Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free
  43. 4E Global's Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera
  44. 4E Global's Assured Aloe
  45. Eskbiochem's Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
  46. Grupo Insoma's Hand sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol
  47. ITECH 361's All Clean Hand Sanitizer, Moisturizer and Disinfectant
  48. Jaloma Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 62% with Vitamin E
  49. Leiper's Fork Distillery Bulk Disinfectant per 5 gallon and Leiper's Fork Distillery 16 oz
  50. Limpo Quimicos' Andy's Best
  51. Limpo Quimicos' Andy's
  52. Limpo Quimicos' Gelclor
  53. Limpo Quimicos' NeoNatural
  54. Limpo Quimicos' Plus Advanced
  55. Liqesa Exportacion or Liq-E-S.A.'s Optimus Lubricants Instant Hand Sanitizer
  56. Maquiladora Miniara's Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer
  57. Maquiladora Miniara's Selecto Hand Sanitizer
  58. MXL Comercial's Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol (labeled with Resource Recovery & Trading LLC)
  59. MXL Comercial's Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol Rinse Free Hand Rub (labeled with Resource Recovery & Trading LLC)
  60. Mystic International's Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
  61. Real Clean Distribuciones's Born Basic Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer
  62. Real Clean Distribuciones's Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer
  63. Real Clean Distribuciones's Scent Theory – Keep It Clean – Pure Clean Anti-bacterial Hand Sanitizer
  64. Real Clean Distribuciones's Cavalry
  65. Real Clean Distribuciones's ENLIVEN Hand Sanitizing Gel
  66. Real Clean Distribuciones's Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gel
  67. Real Clean Distribuciones's Keep It Clean
  68. Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
  69. Real Clean Distribuciones's Hand Sanitizer
  70. Soluciones Cosmeticas' Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free
  71. Soluciones Cosmeticas' Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer
  72. Soluciones Cosmeticas' Hand sanitizer (labeled with Wet Look Janitorial and Gardening Corp.)
  73. Transliquid Technologies's Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
  74. Tropicosmeticos' Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%
  75. Yara Elena De La Garza Perez Nieto's Daesi hand sanitizer

First published on July 28, 2020 / 3:23 PM

© 2020 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

July 28th, 2020

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024