FDA's Do-Not-Use These Hand Sanitizers List Now at More Than 100 Products

By Scott McDonald On 8/2/20 at 6:29 PM EDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this weekend issued a list of 101 hand sanitizers that people "should not use" because of their toxicity, or having been manufactured in the same facility of other sanitizers that contain methanol, or wood alcohol.

What started as a list of nine hand sanitizers in late June has sharply grown to more than 100, and just about every product was manufactured and bottled in Mexico, the federal agency's website states.

The FDA says methanol is not an approved ingredient for hand sanitizers as it has highly-toxic effects.

"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.

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Here is the updated list of more than 100 Do-Not-Use products, according to the FDA.

Hand Sanitizer FDA List — A health worker dispenses sanitizer to a person before a COVID-19 rapid test during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Photo by PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP via Getty Images

Methanol can seep through the skin and lead to toxicity in someone's blood, and can be lethal if ingested orally.

"Consumers who have been exposed to hand sanitizer containing methanol and are experiencing symptoms should seek immediate treatment for potential reversal of toxic effects of methanol poisoning," the FDA said.

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Those symptoms include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Headache
Blurred vision
Permanent blindness
Seizures
Coma
Permanent damage to the nervous system
Death

"Although all persons using these products on their hands are at risk for methanol poisoning, young children who accidentally ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol (ethanol) substitute, are most at risk," the FDA said.

Though hand sanitizer is commonly recommended to help keep your hands clean while in public—or even inside your home—so many of them have been discovered to have methanol, which can be toxic if either ingested or infiltrated wrongly through skin.

For people wanting to continuously stay clean, the FDA and CDC recommend that you wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds—as needed, or several times a day—and to practice good hygiene. Hand sanitizers are recommended while in public, as long as the product contains at least 60 percent ethanol.

The FDA has advised people to not use certain hand sanitizers that are manufactured in Mexico,.

The agency recommends removing products from the "do-not-use" list by placing them in hazardous waste containers, and warns to not dump them down a drain.

Hand sanitizers became a hot commodity as spreading of COVID-19 during the global pandemic led to fears, shutdowns and more awareness of cleanliness.

The FDA says that hand sanitizers must contain at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective, as long as it isn't wood alcohol, otherwise known as methanol.

"FDA remains vigilant and will continue to take action when quality issues arise with hand sanitizers," it said. "Additionally, the agency is concerned with false and misleading claims for hand sanitizers, for example that they can provide prolonged protection such as 24-hours against viruses including COVID-19, since there is no evidence to support these claims."

Here list of hand sanitizers the FDA says to not use:

Product(s)

All-Clean Hand Sanitizer

Andy's

Andy's Best

Assured Aloe

Assured Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Aloe and Moisturizers

Assured Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Vitamin E and Aloe

Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Aloe and Moisturizers)

Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer (Vitamin E and Aloe)

Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe and Moisturizers

Assured Instant Hand Sanitizer Vitamin E and Aloe

Be Safe Hand Sanitizer

Bersih Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer

Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free

bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer

BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer

BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe

Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Aloe, with 70% alcohol

BLUMEN Advanced Hand Sanitizer Clear

Blumen Advanced Hand Sanitizer Lavender, with 70% alcohol

BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear

Blumen Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Clear Ethyl Alcohol 70%

BLUMEN Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender

BLUMEN Aloe Advanced Hand Sanitizer, with 70 Alcohol

Blumen Antibacterial Fresh Citrus Hand Sanitizer

BLUMEN Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer

Blumen Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol

BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer

BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe

BLUMEN Clear Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer Lavender

BLUMEN Clear LEAR Advanced Hand Sanitizer

Blumen Hand Sanitizer Fresh Citrus

BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera

BLUMEN Instant Hand Sanitizer Fragrance Free

Born Basic. Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer 65% Alcohol

Born Basic. Anti-Bac Hand Sanitizer 70% alcohol

Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%

Cavalry

CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol

CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol

Cleaner Hand Sanitizer Rinse Free 70%

Clear Advanced Hand Sanitizer with 70% Alcohol extra soft with glycerin and aloe

DAESI Hand Sanitizer

Earths Amenities Instant Unscented Hand Sanitizer with Aloe Vera Advanced

ENLIVEN Hand Sanitizing Gel

Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer

GelBact Hand Sanitizer

Hand Sanitizer

Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare

Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol

Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel 70% Ethyl Alcohol Rinse Free Hand Rub

Hand Sanitizer Gel Alcohol 70%

Hand sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol

Handzer Hand Sanitizer Rinse Free

Hello Kitty Hand Sanitizer

Herbacil Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer 70% Alcohol

Jaloma Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 62% with Vitamin E

KLAR AND DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer

KLAR and DANVER Instant Hand Sanitizer

Kleanz Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer Advanced

Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer

Leiper's Fork Distillery Bulk Disinfectant per 5 gallon and Leiper's Fork Distillery 16 oz bottle

LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 16 oz

LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 4 oz

Lux Eoi Hand Sanitizing Gel

Medicare Alcohol Antiseptic Topical Solution

Modesa Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers and Aloe Vera

Modesa Instant Antiseptic Hand Sanitizer with Moisturizers and Vitamin E

MODESA Instant Hand Sanitizer Moisturizers and Vitamin E

Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer

NeoNatural

NEXT Hand Sanitizer

NuuxSan Instant Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer

NuuxSan Instant Hand Sanitizer

Optimus Instant Hand Sanitizer

Optimus Lubricants Instant Hand Sanitizer

Parabola Hand Sanitizer

Plus Advanced

Purity Advanced Hand Sanitizer

QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer

Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer

Sayab Antisepctic Hand Sanitizer 100

Scent Theory – Keep It Clean – Pure Clean Anti-bacterial Hand Sanitizer

Selecto Hand Sanitizer

Shine and Clean Hand Sanitizer

The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer

The Honeykeeper Hand Sanitizer

TriCleanz

TriCleanz Tritanium Labs Hand Sanitizer

Urbane Bath and Body Hand Sanitizer

Vidanos Easy Cleaning Rentals Hand Sanitizer Agavespa Skincare

Wave Hand Sanitizer Gel

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FDA's Do-Not-Use These Hand Sanitizers List Now at More Than 100 Products | U.S.

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