FDA Warning About the
Dangers of Hand Sanitizers With Methanol
The Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recent urgent warning to consumers and health care providers
about hand sanitizer products that are labeled as containing ethanol (also
known as ethyl alcohol) but that have tested positive for methanol
contamination. Methanol (i.e., methyl alcohol or wood alcohol)
is a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested and
can be life-threatening when ingested. As per the FDA news update
hyperlinked below, “Methanol is not an acceptable active ingredient for hand
sanitizers and must not be used due to its toxic effects. FDA’s investigation
of methanol in certain hand sanitizers is ongoing. The agency will provide
additional information as it becomes available.”
FDA updated the original list of more than 24 hand sanitizer products to avoid, now listing 75 such products to avoid on this FDA webpage; those products can be viewed either by clicking on the “Methanol Contaminated Products List” button at the top of the webpage or by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and then by clicking on any or all eight pages listing the 75 hand sanitizer products.
Consumers who have been exposed to a hand sanitizer containing methanol and are experiencing symptoms should seek immediate treatment for the potential toxic effects of methanol poisoning, which can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, blurred vision, permanent blindness, and seizures. Although people of all ages 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.”
