June 22, 2020
By Sarah McCormick
TAMPA – The Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers to check their hand sanitizer supply to see if they have any products manufactured by Eskbiochem SA de CV, a company out of Mexico.
Nine of their hand sanitizer products are said to contain a potentially toxic and deadly substance known as methanol, otherwise known as wood alcohol, which can be very toxic when applied and absorbed through the skin and or ingested. The warning was issued on Friday.
The affected products include the following:
- 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)
According to a statement from the FDA, “substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death.”
Consumers are urged to throw any of the products away and not to dump them down any drains or flush the contents.
The FDA has recommended Eskbiochem issue a recall for all products to be pulled from the shelves, but so far, has not acted on the recommendation as of Friday.
No reports of adverse effects have been received by the FDA to date.