FDA orders so-called antibacterials to be removed from soaps

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday, September 2, 2016, issued a final rule establishing that over-the-counter (OTC) consumer antiseptic wash products containing certain active ingredients can no longer be marketed. Companies will no longer be able to market antibacterial washes with these ingredients because manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections. Some manufacturers have already started removing these ingredients from their products.

This final rule applies to consumer antiseptic wash products containing one or more of 19 specific active ingredients, including the most commonly used ingredients – triclosan and triclocarban. These products are intended for use with water, and are rinsed off after use. This rule does not, unfortunately, apply to and affect consumer hand “sanitizers” or wipes or antibacterial products used in health care settings.

It is being assumed that triclosan, triclocarban and other so-called antibacterials, to be in fact, aside from the overuse of antibiotics, the causal agent for the growth in the so-called super-bugs and as such do more harm than good and thus the ruling by the FDA can but be welcomed.

“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water," Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), said in a statement. "In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.”

Washing with plain soap and running water remains one of the most important steps consumers can take to avoid getting sick and to prevent spreading germs to others. If soap and water are not available and a consumer uses

hand sanitizer instead then the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that it be an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. For wipes, we should think, the same should hold true and we should ditch the triclosan & co stuff altogether. In other words, just carry a small bottle of good old-fashioned surgical spirit or of Voidka of at least 75% ABV such as some of the strong Polish or Russian ones.

It would appear that finally common sense is beginning to prevail, once again, and that we begin to see what all those so-called antibacterials and, maybe other stuffs, actually are – namely dangerous gimmicks intended only to ramp up sales for the chemical corporations. Similar to what seems to be going on in the pharmaceutical industry: if we haven't got a disease available on which to use a new drug then let's just invent one and ADHD is but one example.

© 2016