Agency adds more sanitizers to its toxic list

With demand high for products, FDA issues warnings about some brands

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% 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.

Here is the full list of hand sanitizers the FDA is warning against:

• AAA Cosmetica (Mexico) — bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer — 76987402-01 — FDA tested product; contains methanol; FDA recommended a recall on 07/02/2020

• AAA Cosmetica (Mexico) — LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 4 oz — 76987120-01 — Product purported to be made at the same facility; FDA recommended a recall on 07/02/2020

• AAA Cosmetica (Mexico) — LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer 16 oz — 76987-40202 — Product purported to be made at the same facility; FDA recommended a recall on 07/02/2020

• AAA Cosmetica (Mexico) — QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer — 76987-250-01 — Product purported to be made at the same facility; FDA recommended a recall on 07/02/2020

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — All-Clean Hand Sanitizer — 74589-002-01

— Product purported to be made at the same facility; product voluntarily recalled by ITECH 361

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer — 74589007-01 — Product purported to be made at the same facility

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer — 74589006-01 — FDA tested product; contains methanol

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer — 74589-010-10 — Product purported to be made at the same facility

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol — 74589005-03 — Product purported to be made at the same facility

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol — 74589009-01 — FDA tested product; contains methanol

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol — 74589003-01 — Product purported to be made at the same facility

• Eskbiochem SA de CV (Mexico) — Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer — 74589-001-01 — Product purported to be made at the same facility; product recalled by Saniderm Products and UVT Inc.

• Grupo Insoma, S.A.P.I de CV (Mexico) — Hand sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol 75744-0200-3 75744-0200-4 75744-0201-5 75744-0202-1 75744-0250-1 75744-0250-2 75744-0500-1 75744-1000-1 75744-1000-3 75744-1001-1 FDA tested product; contains methanol; FDA recommended a recall on 07/01/2020

• Soluciones Cosmeticas SA de CV (Mexico) — Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free 75165-003-02 75165-004-01 75165-005-01 75165-006-01 75165-008-01 75165-250-01 75165-600-01 FDA tested product; contains methanol; FDA recommended a recall on 07/01/2020

• Soluciones Cosmeticas SA de CV (Mexico) — Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer — FDA tested product; contains methanol; FDA recommended a recall on 07/01/2020

• Transliquid Technologies (Mexico) — Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer 75477-435-02 75477435-10 75477-435-12 75477435-25 75477-435-50 75477534-10 Contains methanol; product voluntarily recalled by Transliquid Technologies LLC

• Tropicosmeticos SA de CV (Mexico) — Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70% 76676-402-01 77676-402-02 77676-402-03 77676-402-04 77676-402-05 77676-402-06 77676-402-07 77676-402-08 77676-402-09 77676-402-10 77676-402-11 77676-402-12 77676-402-13 77676-402-14 77676-402-16 77676-402-17 77676-402-18 77676-402-19 77676-402-20 FDA tested product; contains methanol; FDA recommended a recall on 07/01/2020