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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now has identified fourteen brands of hand sanitizer products on the market that contain methanol, “a substance that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested,” according to the agency. Specifically, they have added five new ones to the list in the last week and now want to get the word out to consumers. They advise citizens not to use hand sanitizers from these companies, or products with these names or NDC numbers. If you experience these symptoms — nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision — seek emergency medical care immediately because overexposure to methanol can cause permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or even death.
Why This Matters: After the President suggested that disinfectants might be a good treatment for COVID-19, many worried about the public improperly using household cleaning products to treat themselves. But there are also manufacturers who peddle dangerous products and we need to be able to trust the government when it says a product should or should not be used in fighting COVID. For many who lack clean water, hand sanitizers are a primary form of preventing the spread of the disease. The FDA has recommended recalling these — but they are not yet being taken off shelves.
What Not To Use
Here is the full list of the toxic products that you should NOT USE: bio aaa Advance Hand Sanitizer, LumiSkin Advance Hand Sanitizer, QualitaMed Hand Sanitizer, All-Clean Hand Sanitizer, Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer, Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer, The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol, CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol, Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer, Hand sanitizer Gel Unscented 70% Alcohol, Bersih Hand Sanitizer Gel Fragrance Free, Antiseptic Alcohol 70% Topical Solution hand sanitizer, Mystic Shield Protection hand sanitizer, and Britz Hand Sanitizer Ethyl Alcohol 70%. They were all made in Mexico, most by a company called Eskbiochem SA de CV. A couple of other hand sanitizer DON’Ts courtesy of the FDA — don’t drink it, don’t buy any that say FDA approved — that is a false claim, and don’t buy any that say they are designed to work against COVID — another false claim.
By Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer This week, the medical journal Lancet published their annual report on health in relation to climate change, subtitling it: “code red for a healthy future.” The report delves beyond the obvious effects of wildfires, hurricanes, and extreme weather events — looking at food security; livelihoods; human physical and mental […]
By Ashira Morris, ODP Staff Writer The EPA announced Monday that it will move toward regulating perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — manmade “forever chemicals” — that don’t naturally break down and can contaminate both air and water. These chemicals, found in various household products, from dental floss to nonstick pans, can also be harmful […]
The editors of over 230 medical journals said in a statement on Monday that climate change is a health issue and that its effects could become “catastrophic” if world leaders don’t do more to address it. The health impacts of climate change include wildfire smoke–which has been linked to an increase in positive COVID-19 cases–and pollutants […]
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