Blog Post  Beware of Toxic Hand Sanitizer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers of nine hand sanitizers that contain toxic ingredients. The agency said the products, which are manufactured in Mexico by Eskbiochem SA de CV, contain elevated levels of methanol or wood alcohol. Methanol should not be used in hand sanitizers because it can be toxic when absorbed through skin or ingested.

Exposure to methanol can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk, young children who accidentally ingest these products, and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are at greatest risk for methanol poisoning.

Despite an appeal from the FDA to remove these hand sanitizers  from store shelves due to potential poisoning, the manufacturer has failed to comply. For your safety, therefore, the FDA recommends avoiding the following hand sanitizer products manufactured by Eskbiochem:

• All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
• Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
• Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
• The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
• CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
• Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)

If you have any of these products in your possession, stop using them right away and dispose of them immediately using appropriate hazardous waste containers. Do not flush or pour these products down the drain.

The FDA reminds consumers to wash their hands often with soap and water to prevent spreading germs. If soap and water are not readily available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend consumers use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent ethanol. To date, FDA is not aware of any reports of adverse events associated with these hand sanitizer products.