“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”.
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The FDA deferred by a year its ruling on three additional ingredients used in consumer wash products – benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and chloroxylenol (PCMX) – to allow for the development and submission of new safety and effectiveness data for these ingredients.
Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble Co and Colgate-Palmolive Co have said they have either reformulated or are reformulating their products to get rid of the most common of the 19 ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban.
According to the FDA, long-term exposure to certain active ingredients used in antibacterial products, for example, triclosan and triclocarban, could pose health risks such as bacterial resistance or hormonal effects.
The Food and Drug Administration bans antibacterial soap in stores after the agency had said manufacturers failed to prove that the chemical triclosan is safe and more efficient than other body washes. Manufacturers were asked to provide more data on the safety and effectiveness of certain ingredients used if they wanted to continue selling certain products. Companies were unable to demonstrate the ingredients were more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness or the spread of infection, the agency said. There are 19 specific active ingredients on the FDA’s not approved list. Hand sanitizers and wipes are also immune from the ban.
The FDA encourages people to use plain soap and water instead. A Drug Facts label on the product is a sign the product may contain antibacterial ingredients. Data also suggested those ingredients may help in the development of antibiotic-resistant germs.
Advocates for the soap industry, unsurprisingly, have disagreed with the FDA’s claims. It says the chemical stops the growth of bacteria, fungus, and mildewand is found in cosmetics, mouthwashes and soaps.
The American Cleaning Institute, which represents cleaning products companies, including Dial Corp, a unit of Germany’s Henkel, Ecolab Inc and Steris Corp; insists the products are effective.
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‘EWG has been conducting research and advocating for this exact federal government action for nearly a decade, and our work, as well as that of other public interest groups and many of our supporters, has finally paid off’.
