The Food and Drug Administration is now recalling 75 brands of toxic hand sanitizers. They say the products can make people sick or even cause death if ingested.
At least 11 people have died and more than two dozen have been hospitalized after drinking contaminated hand sanitizer.
The products claim to contain ethanol but instead have tested positive for methanol or wood alcohol.It’s toxic when absorbed through the skin.
“When COVID-19 came along, you know, trusted brands went out the window for products in demand, like hand sanitizer, and we took what we could get,” CBS News medical contributor David Agus said. “And what you get is a lot of foreign-made hand sanitizers that do not have quality ingredients.”
Some of the recalled brands were sold at major retailers like Costco, Walmart and CVS.
The following hand sanitizers are affected by the recall:
- All-Clean Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-002-01)
- Esk Biochem Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-007-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-008-04)
- Lavar 70 Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-006-01)
- The Good Gel Antibacterial Gel Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-010-10)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-005-03)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 75% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-009-01)
- CleanCare NoGerm Advanced Hand Sanitizer 80% Alcohol (NDC: 74589-003-01)
- Saniderm Advanced Hand Sanitizer (NDC: 74589-001-01)
The FDA advises people to stop using the hand sanitizers immediately and to dispose of them in hazardous waste containers. These products should not be poured down the drain.