The list of hand sanitizers that might be toxic is growing.
Weeks after warning that nine products made by Eskbiochem might contain methanol, a wood alcohol that can be deadly if swallowed, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is sounding the alarm on a number of other brands.
According to the agency, some hand sanitizers made by AAA Cosmetica, Soluciones Cosmeticas SA de CV, Transliquid Technologies and Tropicosmeticos SA de CV may also contain the substance.
The announcement comes amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has public health officials and others urging people to regularly wash their hands or use hand sanitizer if that’s not an option in a bid to slow the spread of the deadly disease.
Hand sanitizers should contain at least 60 percent ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, to work effectively at killing germs. They should never contain methanol, which can cause nausea, headaches, seizures and more.
And while it isn’t ever safe to drink hand sanitizers, even those without methanol, the FDA said it 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.”
Methanol isn’t the FDA’s only hand sanitizer-related concern. The agency said it is also looking into hand sanitizers that may not contain enough ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol to work effectively, sanitizers that are sold under the false claim that they offer long-lasting protection or are FDA-approved, and products that are packaged like drinks or candy.
See the full list of 77 hand sanitizers the FDA is warning against here.