The Food and Drug Administration has proposed a rule
that would require manufacturers of antibacterial hand soaps to demonstrate that
their products are safe and effective.
The FDA is conducting an ongoing review of the active
ingredients in antibacterial soaps to ensure they are safe for long-term
daily use and whether they are more effective than plain soap and water for
preventing illnesses and the spread of germs, according to a news release.
“Some data suggest that long-term exposure to certain
active ingredients used in antibacterial products — for example, triclosan (liquid soaps) and triclocarban (bar soaps) — could
pose health risks, such as bacterial resistance or hormonal effects,” the FDA
stated.
The proposed rule does not impact hand sanitizers,
wipes or antibacterial products used in healthcare settings. The FDA noted that
nearly all soaps labeled as “antibacterial” or “antimicrobial” contain at least
one of the antibacterial ingredients addressed in the proposed rule.
“Due to consumers’ extensive exposure to the
ingredients in antibacterial soaps, we believe there should be a clearly
demonstrated benefit from using antibacterial soap to balance any potential
risk,” Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation
and Research, said in the news release.
DermatologyTimes 2/2014
No comments:
Post a Comment