Amid counterfeit hand sanitiser claims, ministry says read labels

   Amid counterfeit hand sanitiser  claims, ministry says read labels

Person pumps hand sanitiser onto his hand. Photo courtesy Healthline.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua--The Ministry of Health, Wellness & the Environment (MoHWE) and the Pesticides & Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB) are aware of several reports from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada (HC) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that the number of counterfeit hand sanitisers being marketed (specifically since the COVID-19 pandemic) has steadily increased.

  It is recommended that hand sanitisers should contain a minimum of 60 per cent ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol) or isopropyl alcohol to be effective. These three health regulatory authorities have recalled more than 200 products that have tested positive for methanol contamination.

  Methanol, or wood alcohol, is a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested. Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death. Additionally, the MoHWE and the PTCCB are also concerned with the sale of certain hand sanitisers that may not contain the recommended amount of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol; and hand sanitisers that are sold or offered for sale with false, misleading and unproven claims that they can prevent the spread of viruses such as COVID-19, including claims that they can provide prolonged protection for up to 24 hours.

  The MoHWE encourages the public to be guided by the safety measures and protocols put in place to mitigate against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and asks that they be mindful of the foregoing information and read the labels of any product sold as hand sanitisers before purchasing. It further wishes to assure the public that measures are being taken to protect human health through the rigorous monitoring of imports and the assessment of suspected products that may pose a significant risk, while noting that such products have not been confirmed here in Antigua.  The list of recalled hand sanitisers can be found at the link below.

https://www.scribd.com/document/478937939/FDA-Updates-on-Hand-Sanitizers-Consumers-Should-Not-Use-FDA#from_embed. ~ Antigua News Room ~

The Daily Herald

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