The FDA has updated its list of potentially toxic hand sanitizers. There are now 135 different hand sanitizers they are warning people to steer clear from.
Methanol may be found in any of the products listed that are still being sold on the market. In a letter from the FDA, they explained, methanol can be poisonous if absorbed through the skin or ingested.
A common hand sanitizer sold at dollar stores under the Assured / Assured RX brand and distributed by Greenbriar Intl. is one of the names on the list.
We’ve expanded our “list of hand sanitizers consumers should not use” to include subpotent hand sanitizers, in addition to hand sanitizers that are or may be contaminated with methanol: https://t.co/JBD7d3YNea
— FDA Drug Information (@FDA_Drug_Info) July 31, 2020
The FDA tested samples from the products listed and found some containing as much as 81% methanol. The FDA stated, “Methanol is not an acceptable ingredient for hand sanitizers and should not be used due to its toxic side effects.”
Anyone who feels they have been exposed to any hand sanitizer containing methanol should seek immediate treatment in order to reverse the toxic effects of methanol poisoning. Side effects of substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death.
Young children and teens are at the highest risk of methanol poisoning if the products are ingested either by accident or as a substitute for alcohol.
If you find that you have any of the named products in your possession, you are encouraged to stop using them and dispose of them immediately. However, please do not flush or pour them down the drain.
Read the FDA’s updated statement by clicking here.
For more information on how to tell if your hand sanitizer is toxic, watch the video below.