The FDA, showing its flexibility during the coronavirus pandemic, has registered an additional 1,500 manufacturers of hand sanitizers to help meet the growing demand.
However, because of President Donald Trump’s recent comments on whether injecting disinfectants might treat COVID-19, the agency is also asking manufacturers of hand sanitizers to add denatured alcohol to the product in order to make it less palatable to adults and children.
“Hand sanitizers are not proven to treat COVID-19, and like other products meant for external use, are not for ingestion, inhalation, or intravenous use,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement. The agency also recommended that the products carry child safety warnings and information to get medical help upon accidental consumption.
Not only has the demand for hand sanitizers soared after the government and health agencies advised people to clean their hands thoroughly, several times a day, but believe it or not – so has the number of calls to the National Poison Data System this last month related to ingesting hand sanitizers.
According to data supplied by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Association of Poison Control Centers surveillance team, calls to the National Poison Data System last month related to hand sanitizer increased by 79 percent compared to March 2019.
