Have you heard that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned antibacterial soap? Well, it doesn’t sound as if they are actually banning antibacterial soap and products, they are just banning most of the chemicals found in over-the-counter “consumer antiseptic wash products (including liquid, foam, gel hand soaps, bar soaps, and body washes).” The FDA is stating that “there isn’t enough science to show that over-the-counter (OTC) antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water.” There is nothing proving that there is any benefit to using them. You may have heard the debate about antibacterial soap and products actually doing the opposite of helping us stay healthy. Some say that they actually could be making us more sick because they could possibly lead to bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics. Bacteria seems smart in that it gets strong when it comes up against something that is fighting it. In addition to the conclusion that antibacterial soap is not better than washing with regular soap and water, the FDA is saying that the manufacturers of said products have not proven that the products are safe to use over the long term. So, they have ruled that the chemicals used to create such products will be banned.
Many medical professionals and scientists believe that just washing your hands with soap and water will help prevent the spread of germs. Theresa M. Michele, MD, of the FDA’s Division of Nonprescription Drug Products is quoted on the website as saying:
“Following simple handwashing practices is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of many types of infection and illness at home, at school and elsewhere. We can’t advise this enough. It’s simple, and it works.”
Hand sanitizers and hand wipes, are not affected by this ban. Neither is antibacterial soaps used in hospitals.
According to Wiki:
“Antibacterial soap is a type of cleaning product which contain chemical ingredients that purportedly assist in killing bacteria. Such chemicals frequently include triclosan, triclocarban, and chloroxylenol.”
It looks as if one of the main concerns is a chemical called Triclosan. This is the one that has been shown to affect hormones in animals. Also, this is the one thought to help the bacteria get strong and become resistant to antibiotics. This chemical is used in pesticides along with a host of consumer products. So it seems as if we are being exposed to a lot of it — all the time. So the FDA has decided to have it taken out of the soap.
In addition to Triclosan, there are eighteen other chemicals used in antibacterial soap that are being banned. The documents states:
“SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, we, or the Agency) is issuing this final rule establishing that certain active ingredients used in over-the-counter (OTC) consumer antiseptic products intended for use with water (referred to throughout this document as consumer antiseptic washes) are not generally recognized as safe and effective (GRAS/GRAE) and are misbranded.”
It appears as if the manufacturers of such products have about a year to comply. But according to many things I have read on the internet many manufacturers are beginning to make the changes now. Could be they are just changing the labels, I mean who really knows with this stuff, right? Not every product is tested. I imagine if making the product without these chemicals is less expensive then with, then yeah, they will change their recipes eventually, since consumers are now being told they are on the non-GRAS list.
So what do you think about this? What do you think about antibacterial soap?
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