Nearly 60 hand sanitizer brands are potentially toxic, FDA warns
The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers and health care providers about the growing number of hand sanitizers that contain methanol, which can be toxic when absorbed through the skin and deadly if swallowed.
The regulatory agency has expanded to 59 its list of sanitizers to steer clear of — some of which have already been recalled and some the FDA is recommending be recalled — for containing the potentially fatal substance, also known as wood alcohol.
"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 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. The lengthy list of potentially dangerous sanitizers include brands sold at Walmart-owned Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club.
The FDA initially warned consumers last month of nine hand sanitizers to avoid, and has since added more brands that tested positive for methanol.
The agency's warning comes amid heavy demand for sanitizer due to the coronavirus pandemic, with public health officials urging consumers to frequently wash their hands and to use hand sanitizer. For instance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using sanitizers that contain at least 60% ethanol alcohol, as well as frequently washing hands.
The FDA urged consumers to stop using the methanol products, which should be immediately discarded in hazardous waste containers. "Do not flush or pour these products down the drain," the agency counseled in June.
The following is a list of all the potentially toxic sanitizers, according to the FDA:
- 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear Ethyl Alcohol 70%
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear
- 4E Global's Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer (labeled with Greenbrier International Inc.)
- 4E Global's Modesa Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
- 4E Global's Blumen Clear Lear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's The Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Clear
- 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe
- 4E Global's Blumen Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender
- 4E Global's Blumen Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavender, with 70% alcohol
- 4E Global's Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe, with 70% alcohol
- 4E Global's Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's Blumen Hand Sanitizer Fresh Citrus
- 4E Global's Klar and Danver Instant Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's Hello Kitty by Sanrio Hand Sanitizer
- 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E and Aloe)
- 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe and Moisturizers)
- 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Vitamin E and Aloe
- 4E Global's Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe and Moisturizers
- 4E Global's Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free
- 4E Global's Blumen Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera
- 4E Global's Assured Aloe
- AAA Cosmetica's bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer
- AAA Cosmetica's LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 4 oz
- AAA Cosmetica's LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 16 oz
- AAA Cosmetica's QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer
- DDI Multinacional's Earths Amenities Instant Unscented Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced
- DDI Multinacional's Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
- DDI Multinacional's Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare
- Eskbiochem's All-Clean Hand Sanitizer
- Eskbiochem's Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer
- Eskbiochem's Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer
- Eskbiochem's The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer
- Eskbiochem's CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
- Eskbiochem's CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol
- Eskbiochem's CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol
- Eskbiochem's Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer
- Grupo Insoma's Hand sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol
- Limpo Quimicos' Andy's Best
- Limpo Quimicos' Andy's
- Limpo Quimicos' Gelclor
- Limpo Quimicos' NeoNatural
- Limpo Quimicos' Plus Advanced
- Liqesa Exportacion or Liq-E-S.A.'s Optimus Lubricants Instant Hand Sanitizer
- Maquiladora Miniara's Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer
- Maquiladora Miniara's Selecto Hand Sanitizer
- Mystic International's Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer
- Soluciones Cosmeticas' Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free
- Soluciones Cosmeticas' Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer
- Soluciones Cosmeticas' Hand sanitizer (labeled with Wet Look Janitorial and Gardening Corp.)
- Tropicosmeticos' Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%
- Yara Elena De La Garza Perez Nieto's Daesi hand sanitizer