“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”.
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Triclosan also kills good bacteria and could help create germs that are resistant to antibiotics; the chemical has been known to contaminate streams and has been found in human milk and dolphin’s blood, according to Vitals.
“Most consumer wash products labeled “antibacterial” or “antimicrobial” contain at least one of the antibacterial ingredients addressed in this final rule”, said Dr. Theresa Michele, director of the Division of Nonprescription Drug Products at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
Manufacturers have a year to remove the ingredients from their products, but the FDA’s ruling doesn’t affect hand sanitizers or “antibacterial products used in health care settings”. The Food and Drug Administration’s decision primarily targets two common ingredients, triclocarbon and triclosan, which are found in nearly every antibacterial soap.
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.
Animal studies have likewise suggested that exposure to triclosan and similar chemicals can potentially disrupt the hormones in the body, set off allergies and is linked with some types of cancer. The companies failed to do over the last three years.
The FDA has banned more than a dozen chemicals in anti-bacterial soaps, saying there’s no evidence that they actually stop the spread of germs.
The FDA also noted other health concerns related to long-term use of the now-banned active ingredients. The American Cleaning Institute, a cleaning chemical association, responded to the FDA’s findings in a statement saying “the FDA already has in its hands data that shows the safety and effectiveness of antibacterial soaps”.
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Antibacterial soaps containing benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and chloroxylenol will remain on the market while manufacturers develop additional safety and effectiveness data for these ingredients, she said.
